SpaceX loses rocket and payload to fire during test launch

The company tweeted that the accident was due to “an anomaly” on the pad during testing before the September 3 launch date.

CHLOE
Chloe Aiello

United Launch Alliance’s biggest challenger, Elon Musk’s SpaceX, lost a rocket and its payload Thursday in a fiery blast on its Cape Canaveral launch pad. The company tweeted that the accident was due to “an anomaly” on the pad during testing before the September 3 launch date.

The 5.5 ton Amos 6 satellite made by Israeli company Spacecom was aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket and was also destroyed in the blast. It reportedly cost close to $200 million to manufacture. The cost was to be split between Spacecom and Facebook, who had intended to rent the satellite as means of spreading the social network to SubSaharan Africa, Mashable reported.

No one was injured during the blast, according to SpaceX, but it is not known as of now how this setback will affect the company’s future and ongoing competition with ULA. In a similar July 15 incident, SpaceX lost a rocket and payload headed for the International Space Station, Quartz reported.

This financial setback comes just days after SpaceX closed a deal with Luxembourg-based SES to fly the first recycled rocket sometime this fall.

Multimedia business & healthcare reporter Chloe Aiello can be reached via email at caiello@denverite.com or twitter.com/chlobo_ilo.

Subscribe to Denverite’s newsletter here.

Hi! You’re like us!

Looks like you’re the type of person who reads to the ends of articles! Well, true believer, you might really like our morning newsletter. It’s quick, free and gets you up to speed on the important and delightful things happening right here in Denver.

Thanks for reading another Denverite story

Does Denverite help you feel more connected to what’s up in your area? Do you want to be a part of it?

Member donations are critical to our continued existence and growth.

Support our work

Thanks for reading another Denverite story

Does Denverite help you feel more connected to what’s up in your area? Do you want to be a part of it?

Member donations are critical to our continued existence and growth.

Support our work

You’re our superpower

Denverite supporters have made the decision to financially support local journalism that matters to you. Ready to tell your networks why? Sharing our “About” page with your own personal comments could really help us out.

Here’s that page

You’re our superpower

Denverite members have made the decision to financially support local journalism that matters to you. Ready to tell your networks why? Sharing our “About” page with your own personal comments could really help us out.

Here’s that page

Tagged

Space X, schedule I, elon musk, New Belgium, Denverite, ULA, Colorado, Cassini, joint run