Antares rocket explodes just six seconds after liftoff
An unmanned Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Antares rocket headed for the International Space Station lifts off from the Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island on October 28- Spectators in Chincoteague, Va. watch the fireball from the explosion of the unmanned Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo capsule seconds after liftoff
- The Antares rocket exploded just six seconds after liftoff
- The Antares rocket launched on Tuesday carried a Cygnus spacecraft packed with 5,055 pounds (2,293 kg) of supplies, science experiments and equipment, a 15 per cent increase over previous missions.
- The spacecraft was carrying some classified cryptographic equipment
- The company says no one was believed to be hurt and the damage appeared to be limited to the facilities.
- Ronda Miller, manager of the Ocean Deli in Wallops Island, Virginia, stated that she felt the force of the blast from the eatery, about 5 miles (8 km) from the launch pad
- It appeared to burst into flames and plunged to the ground in a huge ball of fire and smoke, but authorities said no one was hurt
- The unmanned rocket blasted off its seaside launch pad at the Wallops Flight Facility at 6:22 p.m. EDT/2222 GMT carrying a Cygnus cargo ship bound for the space station
An unmanned Orbital Sciences Corp.'s Antares rocket headed for the International Space Station lifts off from the Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island on October 28
Antares rocket explodes just six seconds after liftoff
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