MEXICO: For 148 seconds, it seemed that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket was on its way to fulfilling its mission: to re-supply the global Space Mission with food, water and other necessities that would only last them till October of this year. However, the astronauts are safe aboard the station and have sufficient supplies for the next several months.
“Sadly failed”, Kelly said via Twitter.
In the NASA press briefing following the accident, SpaceX was asked if there was anything that was done differently for this launch than in the previous six launches. (Read our space blog, No Place Like Home.).
In October, a private Orbital Sciences-built cargo launch to the ISS exploded shortly after launching from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. And in May, a Russian resupply mission was placed in the wrong orbit, forcing its cargo to burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
“It isn’t critical that they make the exact dates – there is some flexibility in our overall launch plans”, added Iridium spokeswoman Diane Hockenberry.
NASA commentator George Diller says “the vehicle has broken up”.
All debris is considered part of an official investigation. “No one knew it meant failure”.
As history has taught us, there are indubitably going to be setbacks in getting to space, especially with this seemingly wilder and more competitive Space Race 2.0.
More than 5,200 pounds of space station cargo were on board, including the first docking port designed for future commercial crew capsules, a new spacesuit and a water filtration system. A reflight is slated for Friday.
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