Antares rocket explodes moments after launch

World Today

(Photo: NASA)

A private spaceship bound for the International Space Station exploded shortly after launch on Tuesday. Orbital Sciences’ unmanned Cygnus spacecraft exploded as it blasted off atop an Antares rocket a few seconds after liftoff Tuesday evening from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Wallops Island, Virginia.

NASA Mission Control reported via its TV channel that no personnel were in the blast radius and no injuries have been reported. The launch was scheduled to take place at 6:22 Eastern time, but “suffered an accident” and exploded on the platform.

The rocket launch was to be Orbital Sciences’ third official cargo mission to the Space Station for NASA under a $1.9 billion contract, which calls for a total of eight delivery missions. The robotic Cygnus spacecraft — also built by Orbital — was filled with 5,000 pounds of food, water, experiments and other gear for the astronauts currently living aboard the space station.

Story compiled with the information from NBC.