Cape Canaveral, Fla. — A SpaceX rocket exploded at its Cape Canaveral launch pad Thursday morning. It happened during a test firing at the space launch Complex 40.
SpaceX uses the pad to send satellites and rockets that carry supplies to the International Space Station.
SpaceX said there were no injuries in the explosion, but the blast destroyed the Falcon-9 rocket and the Amos-6 satellite commissioned by Facebook — which was due to launch on Saturday.
Facebook Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerburg said in part, “I’m deeply disappointed to hear that SpaceX’s launch failure destroyed our satellite that would have provided connectivity to so many entrepreneurs and everyone else across the continent.
Fortunately, we have developed other technologies like Aquila that will connect people as well. We remain committed to our mission of connecting everyone, and we will keep working until everyone has the opportunities this satellite would have provided.”
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