SpaceX Rocket Explodes and Crashes in Texas
Ana Verayo | | Aug 23, 2014 03:41 AM EDT |
(Photo : REUTERS/Bob Strong ) The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Dragon capsule, lifts off from the Cape Canveral Air Force Station.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket manufactured by SpaceX exploded in midair during a test mission at the company's facility in Texas.
The reusable rocket self-destructed after its systems detected a malfunction. SpaceX was testing a three-engine version of the F9R test vehicle, a successor to the resusable Grasshopper rocket designed to launch and land at the same site.
Like Us on Facebook
SpaceX said there was an anomaly in the launch vehicle during the flight. The flight termination system automatically detected the anomaly and aborted the mission.
The McGregor fire department confirmed an explosion over the Texas prairie Friday night. Firefighters were working to put out the fire by early evening. Nobody was hurt or injured by the flaming debris.
SpaceX conducted this test mission to observe the ability of the F9R development vehicle to take off, maneuver and land vertically.
The F9R Dev is the modified first stage of the company's Falcon 9 rocket used as a test bed for missions that will allow the vehicle to be used during back and forth space missions from Earth.
The rocket never veered off course and there was a representative from the Federal Aviation Administration during the test mission on site.
SpaceX also explained how the test mission went awry. It noted how complex the tests were and how it's pushed the limits and boundaries of the rocket beyond those of previous tests.
SpaceX will review flight details and data to learn more about the rocket's performance. It's currently competing for a NASA contract to send astronauts to the International Space Station.
This failure may or may have affect NASA's decision. NASA did not comment on the incident.
Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, Tesla Motors and PayPal, stressed the difficulties of this test mission by tweeting, "Rockets are tricky."
TagsSpaceX Rocket Explodes and Crashes in Texas, Elon Musk, SpaceX, space x rocket crashes in texas, spacex rocket explodes, spacex test flight explosion, rocket explosion spacex, NASA, International Space Station, F9R rocket spacex, SpaceX, tesla motors, PayPal, why did spacex rocket explode, who is the owner of spacex, rockets are tricky, rocke explodes after take off, rocket explodes in texas, spacex falcon 9
©2015 Chinatopix All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission
EDITOR'S PICKS
-
Did the Trump administration just announce plans for a trade war with ‘hostile’ China and Russia?
-
US Senate passes Taiwan travel bill slammed by China
-
As Yan Sihong’s family grieves, here are other Chinese students who went missing abroad. Some have never been found
-
Beijing blasts Western critics who ‘smear China’ with the term sharp power
-
China Envoy Seeks to Defuse Tensions With U.S. as a Trade War Brews
-
Singapore's Deputy PM Provides Bitcoin Vote of Confidence Amid China's Blanket Bans
-
China warns investors over risks in overseas virtual currency trading
-
Chinese government most trustworthy: survey
-
Kashima Antlers On Course For Back-To-Back Titles
MOST POPULAR
LATEST NEWS
Zhou Yongkang: China's Former Security Chief Sentenced to Life in Prison
China's former Chief of the Ministry of Public Security, Zhou Yongkang, has been given a life sentence after he was found guilty of abusing his office, bribery and deliberately ... Full Article
TRENDING STORY
-
China Pork Prices Expected to Stabilize As The Supplies Recover
-
Elephone P9000 Smartphone is now on Sale on Amazon India
-
There's a Big Chance Cliffhangers Won't Still Be Resolved When Grey's Anatomy Season 13 Returns
-
Supreme Court Ruled on Samsung vs Apple Dispute for Patent Infringement
-
Microsoft Surface Pro 5 Rumors and Release Date: What is the Latest?