NASA finds clues that cause rocket explosions

Experts from both private companies and US government agencies are investigating the cause of the Antares missile explosion, which can last from 6 months to a year.

>>> NASA rocket exploded after six seconds leaving the launch pad

"What we are known at this moment is mostly what people see on the video, " said Frank Culbertson, executive director of Orbital Group's Advanced Programs - NASA contractor.

"It stopped flying, and it could be said that the first floor was separated, and then it fell to the ground . We really didn't have any initial clues about what might have been broken, and we needed time. Time to investigate ".

Antares rocket exploded in the air - (Photo taken from video)

Orbital will lead the investigation with the US Federal Aviation Authority, with NASA support.

Experts will try to collect and inspect any recoverable debris, review the data from the rocket before it explodes and watch the video during the launch time.

The main focus last night was safety. Mr. Bill Wrobel, Director of Flying Wallops Center, said the fire brigade had set up barriers around the affected area.

Officials believed that no one was directly affected by the explosion, but they could detect scattered debris that might be floating on the water.

When asked when Orbital would launch a missile again from Wallops, the only place allowed to launch, Mr. Culbertson did not specify the time."We will launch again as soon as we can do it safely."

Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's leader, has the same opinion."We will consider what is a failure, we will fix it, and we will absorb it," he said.

RIA Novosti quoted Jay Bolden, NASA spokesman, saying the investigation of the cause of the explosion could last from 6 months to a year."The good thing about international cooperation is that we can rely on our partners," said Bolden.

The Antares missile was launched at 1822 from NASA's Wallops Flight Center, in Virginia state. The Orbital-made rocket carries out the task of supplying research equipment and equipment to the International Space Station (ISS). However, only about 6 seconds after launch, the rocket carried about 2.5 tons of cargo, including food, supplies, scientific experiments, which were engulfed in a large fireball in mid-air.