An Orbital Science Antares rocket, carrying supplies to the International Space Station, exploded six seconds after departing Wallops Island, Va., Tuesday night. “Tonight’s events really show the difficulty that it takes for us to do this task of delivering cargo to the space station,” NASA Administrator Bill Gerstenmaier told CNN Tuesday. Though the cause of the crash is not yet known, the AJ26 engine that powers the rocket has experienced some bumps in the past, President and CEO of Orbital Sciences Corporation David Thompson told reporters Wednesday afternoon. After a June launch was delayed due to failed engine testing, the company began looking for alternatives to the refurbished version of the Soviet-made NK-33 engine, he said. NASA officials confirmed that the vehicle was unmanned and there were no injuries as a result of the crash, reported the Washington Post.
The Pentagon announced new long-term agreements with four defense companies May 13 to develop and produce large numbers of low-cost cruise missiles. And while the effort will focus mostly on the Army to start, it pairs with Air Force efforts to find more affordable munitions.