Space station supply rocket blows up on takeoff

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Orbital Sciences Corp.s unmanned rocket blows up over the launch complex at Wallops Island, Va., just six seconds after liftoff Tuesday. No injuries were reported. (AP Photo/NASA TV)

ATLANTIC, Va. An unmanned commercial supply rocket bound for the International Space Station exploded moments after liftoff Tuesday evening, with debris falling in flames over the launch site in Virginia. No injuries were reported following the first catastrophic launch in NASAs commercial spaceflight effort.

The accident was sure to draw criticism over the space agencys growing reliance on private U.S. companies in this post-shuttle era. NASA is paying billions of dollars to Orbital Sciences and the SpaceX company to make station deliveries, and its counting on SpaceX and Boeing to start flying U.S. astronauts to the orbiting lab as early as 2017. This was the fourth flight by Orbital Sciences to the orbiting lab.

The Orbital Sciences Antares rocket blew up over the beachside launch complex at Wallops Island. The company said everyone at the site had been accounted for, and the damage appeared to be limited to the facilities. And nothing on the lost flight was urgently needed by the six people living on the 260-mile-high space station, officials said.

Flames could be seen shooting into the sky as the sun set.

Orbital Sciences executive vice president Frank Culbertson said things began to go wrong 10 to 12 seconds into the flight and it was all over in 20 seconds when what was left of the rocket came crashing down. He said he believes the range-safety staff sent a destruct signal before it hit the ground.

Bill Wrobel, director of NASAs Wallops Flight Facility, said crews were letting the fires burn out late Tuesday and set up a perimeter to contain them in the darkness.

This was the second launch attempt for the mission. Monday evenings try was thwarted by a stray sailboat in the rockets danger zone. The restrictions are in case of just such an accident that occurred Tuesday.

Culbertson said the top priority will be repairing the launch pad as quickly and safely as possible.

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Space station supply rocket blows up on takeoff