Falcon 9 rocket blows up during static fire test, destroying Facebook satellite

[Tataffe]

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket just exploded during a test on a launch pad at Cape Canaveral. This rocket was set to launch on Saturday, Sept. 3 on a mission to deliver Facebook’s first satellite to orbit.

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SpaceX has confirmed that there were no personal injuries in the blast but the rocket and payload were destroyed.

SpaceX mentions "an anomaly on the pad", which does not clarify wether the vehicle or the pad itself was the cause for this incident.

 

It would have been a new milestone: This particular rocket would have been the first rocket to be reused after landing back on earth, on a drone ship in April this year. It is therefore not unlikely that the cause for the incident can be tracked back to wearout or fatigue resulting from it's previous flight. As per usual, they will investigate and probably do better next time. The launch was originally scheduled for September 3rd, 07:00 UTC. The payload, Facebook’s first satellite called "Amos 6", was destroyed in the incident.

 

 

Source

Edited, nevermind the cancelled part. Thanks for the correction @lots of unexplainable lag

[vanished]

This is probably not good, but there's gotta be someone out there that's happy Facebook's satellite was destroyed  

[Sauron]

8 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

This is probably not good, but there's gotta be someone out there that's happy Facebook's satellite was destroyed  

I mean... I can't say I'm sorry for them with a straight face...

[Syntaxvgm]

*Syntaxvgm attempted to like this post*

[paradigm249]

17 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

This is probably not good, but there's gotta be someone out there that's happy Facebook's satellite was destroyed  

i suspect twitter

/s

[Prysin]

it was destined to happen

[AresKrieger]

32 minutes ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

This is probably not good, but there's gotta be someone out there that's happy Facebook's satellite was destroyed  

Well I am very happy facebook's satellite however I wish they also built the rocket

 

Also I wondering what that satellite was going to be doing

[captain cactus]

This isn't one of the landed rockets, this is a brand new rocket. The booster used on CRS-8 will be the first one to fly again, but not until October this year.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpaceX_CRS-8

[Real_PhillBert]

For the record, this was not Facebook's satellite. The owner is an Israeli company called Spacecom.

 

Facebook simply leased some of the satellites spot beam broadband capability. 

 

http://www.space.com/33929-spacex-falcon-9-rocket-explodes-on-launch-pad.html

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amos-6

 

[captain cactus]

Here's a video of the thing blowing up (via Dutch site De Telegraaf: http://www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/26522467/__Raket_SpaceX_explodeert__.html ).

 

Seems awfully familiar to the CRS-7 disaster last June (which also blew the 2nd stage to bits due to a helium tank breaking loose causing an overpressure event and a loss of the entire rocket). That was in flight though, this isn't. Hell, the engines weren't even firing at the time of the explosion. No reason to speculate on it until SpaceX has done their full investigation.

[ADM-Ntek]

3 hours ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

This is probably not good, but there's gotta be someone out there that's happy Facebook's satellite was destroyed  

i am. but i am sad for Elon poor guy must be so pissed/sad right now. 

[PocketNerd]

Considering this is still experimental technology, especially on the "reusable" part... I pretty much expected this to happen at some point or another.

SpaceX will work out the kinks and make it work.

[DXMember]

27 minutes ago, lots of unexplainable lag said:

Here's a video of the thing blowing up (via Dutch site De Telegraaf: http://www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/26522467/__Raket_SpaceX_explodeert__.html ).

Wish it was shot using NASA's new HDR camaera

[Sauron]

2 hours ago, AresKrieger said:

Well I am very happy facebook's satellite however I wish they also built the rocket

 

Also I wondering what that satellite was going to be doing

There's a livestream where you can see Earth through a camera on the ISS, 24/7.

[MrDynamicMan]

3 hours ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

This is probably not good, but there's gotta be someone out there that's happy Facebook's satellite was destroyed  

I believe his names @Trik'Stari

 

14 minutes ago, ADM-Ntek said:

i am. but i am sad for Elon poor guy must be so pissed/sad right now. 

Yeah. Though I doubt he wants people feeling sorry for him. 

I'm waiting for SpaceX to start doing manned flights again. 

[ScratchCat]

Facebook: Taking intrusive advertising and tracking to new heights (pun intended)

[Real_PhillBert]

2 minutes ago, ScratchCat said:

Facebook: Taking intrusive advertising and tracking to new heights (pun intended)

Facebook signed a 5 year lease for services to be rendered by the satellite, the satellite was not owned by Facebook, it was owned by Spacecom.

 

I know that's really not the point behind your post, but people seem to be struggling with this concept in this thread. 

[ScratchCat]

1 minute ago, Real_PhillBert said:

Facebook signed a 5 year lease for services to be rendered by the satellite, the satellite was not owned by Facebook, it was owned by Spacecom.

 

I know that's really not the point behind your post, but people seem to be struggling with this concept in this thread. 

I know, I just don't really like facebook's tracking.

[captain cactus]

Something went horribly wrong during propellant loading: 

 

[Energycore]

1 hour ago, DXMember said:

Wish it was shot using NASA's new HDR camaera

What you want is a real life michael bay movie

[Just Monika]

That's very unfortunate for SpaceX. There's huge potential in getting their reusable rocket technology but they seem to have a very rocky track record. I hope that they are able to gain some useful information from this failed launch to prevent future occurrences from happening again.

 

Facebook and its satellite can suck it though.

[JoaoPRSousa]

4 hours ago, Ryan_Vickers said:

This is probably not good, but there's gotta be someone out there that's happy Facebook's satellite was destroyed  

 

I am  Phuck Facebook

[Mr_Flynn]

Just figured I would put this here (because it seems like no one knows what Facebook has to do with the satellite): the company that owns the satellite (Spacecom) was leasing Facebook time on the satellite to provide internet service to central Africa. 

[Gr0egercesg]

5 hours ago, Tataffe said:

 

 

Thats some Michael Bay shit right there,

Do SpaceX ever give up, they blow a rocket up and are then like "Same time tommorrow boys?" 

Imo, the most persevering company

[Real_PhillBert]

9 minutes ago, Mr_Flynn said:

Just figured I would put this here (because it seems like no one knows what Facebook has to do with the satellite): the company that owns the satellite (Spacecom) was leasing Facebook time on the satellite to provide internet service to central Africa. 

I've tried to bring this to light but people dont care. They're too busy hating on facebook to let facts get in the way.