An Unmanned Rocket Exploded At A NASA Launch Site In Virginia

The unmanned Antares rocket that was scheduled to launch from NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia at 6:22 PM ET this evening exploded after takeoff, according to reports. The rocket, which belonged to the Orbital Sciences Corporation, was going to carry 5,000-pounds of supplies to the International Space Station; however, the company Tweeted that there had been a “vehicle anomaly,” when the rocket exploded approximately six seconds after launch.

Additionally, the Twitter account for the ISS shared an image of the aftermath.

According to that account, NASA and Orbital are determining a time for a press conference to explain what exactly went wrong, while CNN reports that there are no known deaths.

“There was failure on launch,” NASA spokesman Jay Bolden said. “There was no indicated loss of life.

Bolden added, “There was significant property and vehicle damage. Mission control is trying to assess what went wrong.” (Via CNN)

The weather had been confirmed as “100% favorable” for a launch, and there were no technical issues reported.

UPDATE: Another launch is planned for tomorrow with new supplies, as Slate reports that the astronauts currently on board the ISS are not in “any trouble.”

We will update with any new information.