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SpaceX unmanned rocket explodes after launch

An unmanned rocket that was heading to the International Space Station with supplies blew up just minutes after it launched.

The SpaceX rocket is the third cargo-carrying vehicle that’s been lost in around eight months, raising some serious questions about how the International Space Station will be resupplied.

The SpaceX rocket, which took off from Cape Canaveral in Florida, exploded 139 seconds after launch.

SpaceX’s CEO, Elon Musk reported the failed launch on his account on Twitter, saying, “Falcon 9 experienced a problem shortly before first stage shutdown. Will provide more info as soon as we review the data.”

A few moments later he tweeted: “There was an overpressure event in the upper stage liquid oxygen tank. Data suggests counterintuitive cause.”

The rocket was carrying around two tons of cargo, which included food and provisions for the three astronauts currently aboard the space station. It was also carrying a water filtration system and a new docking mechanism for the station. Nasa says, however, the astronauts aboard the station are ‘secure. There are more launches planned in the near future and the station’s occupants have enough supplies to last them until October.

SpaceX now plans to investigate what happened to cause the launch failure, in conjunction with Nasa and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Nasa did hold a length briefing about the rocket’s launch failure and you can view that in the player below:

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