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A SpaceX rocket just exploded at Cape Canaveral [UPDATE: No injuries]

Updated Sep 1st, 2016 1:24PM EDT

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Photos and videos have begun to flood social media sites like Facebook and Twitter following reports that a SpaceX Falcon 9 reusable rocket exploded on a SpaceX launch pad at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida. The news has not yet been confirmed by SpaceX, and it is unclear if there were any injuries as a result of the blast. There was no rocket launch planned to take place today, though it’s likely that the company was making preparations for its next scheduled launch in just two days on Saturday, September 3rd.

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According to unconfirmed reports, SpaceX was in the process of static firing the Falcon 9 rocket when it exploded on the launch pad. The test firing was being performed in preparation for Saturday’s launch. Several independent reports state that the explosion was so big that it shook nearby office buildings as far as several miles away. The rocket was scheduled to carry an Israeli satellite into space when it launched this weekend.

According to the Associated Press, there were actually multiple explosions that continued for several minutes following the initial blast. The AP also confirms that the Falcon 9 rocket was unmanned at the time of the explosion according to NASA.

Update 10:44 ET: SpaceX has briefly commented on the matter, confirming that an “anomaly” caused the rocket to explode. The pad was clear and there were no injuries.

And a brief note from SpaceX CEO Elon Musk:

Here are photos and videos from the area surrounding the scene:


https://twitter.com/PointyEndUp/status/771336568380481537
https://www.instagram.com/p/BJ0IuCTAhOx/


https://twitter.com/TigernBear/status/771335016198639616


Zach Epstein
Zach Epstein Executive Editor

Zach Epstein has been the Executive Editor at BGR for more than 10 years. He manages BGR’s editorial team and ensures that best practices are adhered to. He also oversees the Ecommerce team and directs the daily flow of all content. Zach first joined BGR in 2007 as a Staff Writer covering business, technology, and entertainment.

His work has been quoted by countless top news organizations, and he was recently named one of the world's top 10 “power mobile influencers” by Forbes. Prior to BGR, Zach worked as an executive in marketing and business development with two private telcos.