[durt]

On September 1, 2016, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, along with its payload – a $195 million Israeli communications satellite, AMOS-6 – was destroyed in an on-pad explosion during a routine ground test. The incident occurred at 9:07 a.m. local time at the Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

The explosion happened in the final minutes of the countdown to the Static Fire Test, a standard procedure involving a brief ignition of the rocket's nine Merlin 1D engines to collect performance data. At the time of the mishap, the Falcon 9 was being topped off with sub-cooled Liquid Oxygen and chilled Rocket Propellant 1, carrying close to 500 metric tons of propellants.

SpaceX confirmed the anomaly on the pad, which resulted in the loss of both the rocket and the AMOS-6 satellite. Fortunately, there were no casualties reported. The explosion was powerful enough to shake buildings as far as five kilometers away and break windows in the vicinity of the launch pad.

The 2015 Falcon 9 launch failure, caused by a mechanical strut breaking within the second stage's Liquid Oxygen tank, was mentioned as a reference, but any possible connection to this incident was subject to investigation.

The AMOS-6 satellite, built by Aerospace Industries for Spacecom, was intended to provide broadband internet services in the developing world, with part of its payload leased to Eutelsat and Facebook. The loss of AMOS-6 was a significant blow to Spacecom, especially since the company had recently announced its sale contingent on the satellite's capacity.

[SLAPAPPY]

Bang eh, bang! I've started up Space O so Elon and I can play SpaceX's and O's.... I start in the middle of the universe! Looks like Elon's company is turning into Ker Plunk or Trouble! If Elon partnered with Gates would the company be called ElonGates or is that a stretch!

[Davis916]

Don't quite your day job!

[kellyhound]

wonder what the anomaly was.

[durt]

Thanks for that clip KH.
That looked like someone activated the self destruct!!
And the satellite's fuel went up nice!!

[SARNA66]

I think it was suppose to go farther that that

[jdkoerner]

The camera must have been mighty close, given the blast and the shock wave are simultaneous.

[gringo1965]

That was a huge explosion. Thanx for the post Kelly. Remember, that video is from miles away.

[texastea]

But it's a great company. Very impressive. Going to put Arriane out of business.

[DanteAntonelli]

That's what I call expensive fireworks!