VIDEO: Rocket Explodes on NASA Launch Pad Moments After Liftoff

Written by Greg Hambrick

An Orbital Sciences cargo rocket set to deliver 5,000 pounds of food and other supplies to the International Space Station exploded over the launchpad Tuesday into a huge ball of fire that destroyed nearby property and vehicles. The flight was to be unmanned, and reports said nobody on the ground was injured.

The Antares rocket exploded just moments after liftoff at 6:22 p.m. at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on the Virginia coast.

Nearly an hour later, a blaze could still be seen at the launch pad.

Calling it a “catastrophic anomaly,” NASA officials could be heard over the streaming video at NASA TV as live images played of the smokey scene. They noted the accident occurred six seconds after liftoff.

It appears the damage is limited to the facility, according to the report. No personnel were injured, but there was significant property damage. Had the flight gone as planned, the rocket would have been visible across the Eastern Seaboard. After being boosted into orbit by rockets, the spacecraft was to dock with the International Space Station to deliver food, clothes and other cargo, including scientific experiments.

This was the second attempt at a launch. An attempt Monday was called off after an unauthorized boat came into the launch hazard zone.

On Twitter, Orbital Sciences referred to the incident as a ”vehicle anomaly”shortly after the explosion.

This was expected to be the fourth cargo delivery to the space station, and the largest, from Virginia-based Orbital Sciences under a Commercial Resupply Services contract.

The company has over 1,000 satellites, launch vehicles and other space-related systems delivered or under contract since 1982, according to Orbital.com.