SpaceX Rocket Explodes During Test Firing At Cape Canaveral

Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Email Reddit Telegram

A SpaceX booster rocket exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida on Thursday morning.

The explosion shook nearby buildings and spewed smoke into the sky just 2 days before its planned liftoff with an Israeli satellite.

BYPASS THE CENSORS

You can unsubscribe any time. By subscribing you agree to our Terms of Use

Wow, SpaceX rocket just blew up on pad. Shook our whole bldg. pic.twitter.com/PMxZA4v4IV

— SpaceCoastTiger (@TigernBear) September 1, 2016

NASA said SpaceX was conducting a test firing of its unmanned rocket when the blast occurred.

JOIN THE FIGHT: BECOME A CITIZEN JOURNALIST TODAY!

The Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to launch the Israeli satellite which would have provided broadband internet coverage to sub-Saharan Africa, as part of an initiative spearheaded by Facebook.

Statement on this morning’s anomaly pic.twitter.com/3Xm2bRMS7T

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 1, 2016

CNBC reports:

Brevard County Emergency Management Director Kimberly Prosser told Florida Today the explosion happened around 9:15 a.m.

“There are no hazards to the general public,” she said. “We’re monitoring the situation, but there have been no requests for assistance.”

The county Emergency Management Office tweeted:

There is NO threat to general public from catastrophic abort during static test fire at SpaceX launch pad at CCAFS this morning.

— Brevard EOC (@BrevardEOC) September 1, 2016

Elon Musk’s SpaceX planned to launch its ninth rocket into space Saturday morning, carrying a communications satellite belonging to Israel-based Spacecom into orbit over the equator. The explosion happened during what was supposed to have been a routine test firing.