Footage of the Antares rocket disaster from the launch pad
Footage of the Antares rocket disaster from the launch pad
Footage of the Antares rocket disaster from the launch pad
Nasa's Antares rocket explosion up close: Amazing new footage reveals moment the $200m launch vehicle blew to pieces
Cameras recovered from launch pad in Virginia shed new light on disaster
Antares rocket failed and exploded seconds after launching from Wallops Flight Facility on 28 October
Officials later explained that they detonated the rocket after fault spotted
New footage shows the launch up close and one camera was even inside the resultant cloud of dust and debris
At the time the failure was blamed on a Russian engine so rocket operator Orbital Sciences will use a new engine for future flights
By JONATHAN O'CALLAGHAN FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 08:48 EST, 24 November 2014 | UPDATED: 12:54 EST, 24 November 2014
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Last month the world was stunned as Nasa's Antares rocket experienced a fault shortly after launching, falling back to Earth in an enormous fiery explosion.
Now new footage has been released from up close that shows the demise of the rocket like never before.
Remotely operated cameras recently recovered from the launch pad captured the explosion in incredible detail - and one even reveals footage from inside the resultant cloud of dust and debris.
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Cameras recovered from the launch pad in Virginia have shed new light on disaster (still image shown). An OrbitalSciences Antares rocket failed and exploded seconds after launching from Wallops Flight Facility on 28 October. Officials later explained that they detonated the rocket after a fault was spotted
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Cameras recovered from the launch pad in Virginia have shed new light on disaster (still image shown). An OrbitalSciences Antares rocket failed and exploded seconds after launching from Wallops Flight Facility on 28 October. Officials later explained that they detonated the rocket after a fault was spotted
The footage was compiled by websites Zero-G News and America Space.
They explain that, as their cameras were so close to the launchpad, they had not been hopeful of retrieving much, if any, of the data.
And they were also restricted from retrieving their data after lift-off owing to the obviously hazardous conditions.
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THE FAILED MISSION
The Antares rocket was due to launch an unmanned Orbital-3 Cygnus spacecraft to deliver more than 5,000lbs of supplies to the International Space Station.
This included science experiments, experiment hardware, spare parts, and crew provisions - as part of a £1.2 billion ($1.9billion) deal with Nasa.
Outfitted with a new, more powerful upper-stage engine, the Antares rocket was packed with 5,055 pounds (2,293 kg) of supplies, science experiments and equipment, a 15 percent increase over previous missions.
'The initial liftoff looked flawless. Then, suddenly, the exhaust turned bright yellow and became far brighter than usual.
'That's when we knew things were about to get bad,' said Elliot Severn, a launch photojournalist for Zero-G News and StarTalk Radio.
'The vehicle seemed to hang in the air and started to burn, it was like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
'It fell in a pillar of fire and exploded on impact, and we could feel the heat on our face from 1.5 miles [2.4km] away.
Seconds later the shockwave hit, and we all ran for the buses to evacuate. We had little hope of any cameras surviving.'
But amazingly four cameras from journalists working for the two websites did survive, 'and the footage is nothing short of spectacular' said AmericaSpace.
Footage of the Antares rocket disaster from the launch pad
The Nasa-funded rocket exploded (previous image shown) on its way to the ISS just six seconds after lift-off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island in Virginia .The rocket exploded at 6:22pm EDT on 28 October, and was carrying equipment that would have helped hunt for asteroids to mine
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The Nasa-funded rocket exploded (previous image shown) on its way to the ISS just six seconds after lift-off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island in Virginia .The rocket exploded at 6:22pm EDT on 28 October, and was carrying equipment that would have helped hunt for asteroids to mine
