Another Whoops!

[BAZ]

A Space X rocket has exploded on the launchpad just days before it was due to launch. Elon needs to have a chat with his fairy Godmother, but I suppose this is all new-ish technology and once it gets sorted we'll get accustomed to it like some folks did with the Apollo program.

Scroll down for the unfortunate event, make it big screen as well, the resolution isn't bad.

 

http://www.space.com/33929-spacex-falcon-9-rocket-explodes-on-launch-pad.html

[Big Al]

Amazing bit of footage came out later http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-37247077, and confirms some of the rumours which were flying around shortly after, I think. Looks like a fueling failure of the second stage (similar to the Nedelin Disaster in 1960) or possibly a premature RCS/OMS trigger on the payload (although the payload falls clear apparently intact). Just glad that no one got hurt. Given that it was an Israeli owned satellite (not Facebook, as a lot of the "media" were suggesting), I'm just waiting for the conspiracy theorists to don their tin foil caps again!

 

Alan

[Dean Watson]

I think it was probably the work of the Overlords! (Remember the start of Childhoods End?  And not that execrable SyFy channel version on Pick.  Theres 6 hours I wont be getting back any time soon.  Arthur must be spinning in his grave like a food mixer...)