The unmanned rocket was to reach into space transport vessel Cygnus. On board were supplies for the six crew members of the International Space Station (ISS).
A few seconds after the rocket broke away from the earth, but there was an explosion. The cargo ship with a mass of 2.2 tons consisted of 32 miniature satellite research, oxygen tank and a device for tracking meteorites.
The crash occurred in the coastal Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Rocket belonged to a private company Orbital Sciences. As NASA announced, as a result of the explosion, no one was injured.
The causes of the accident are not yet known. – Soon, we should understand what happened – said vice-president of Orbital Sciences, Frank Culbertson. – Such things have happened in our industry. Raise after the disaster, as previously raised by other crew – he added.
Start rockets live broadcast on NASA TV. It was to be the fifth flight rockets Antares, which was first found in space in April last year. At the same time it was the third of eight missions included in the transport contract with NASA, whose value amounts to 1.9 billion dollars.
After retiring from the use of their own shuttles, NASA now use external service providers to supply the International Space Station. While the exchange of crews on the station provide Russian Soyuz ships, a transport NASA entrusted to two private companies: SpaceX and Orbital Sciences was.
According to experts quoted by the BBC investigation into the causes of the disaster will focus on the AJ-26 engines, allowing the rocket off the ground. They are a modified version of the Russian-designed engines for over half a century ago, in view of the ill-fated N1 rocket, which was to reach the Soviet astronauts to the moon.
It is not yet known how the explosion seriously damaged the spaceport Aviation Center Wallops. Are not at risk for delivery to the International Space Station. Already on Wednesday to reach the Russian transport ship, and on Dec. own course planned by SpaceX.
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