Cygnus cargo vehicle that was to more than 2 tons of cargoes to the ISS burst at the lift-off at Wallops spaceport in USA.
The launch was to take place with the help of Antares booster from Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia (situated on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean) at 01.22, Moscow time. The rocket busrt approximately 6 seconds after the lift-off.
NASA Mission Control Centre confirms the loss of the space vehicle.
According to the data there were no casualties.
According to NASA the loss of the space vehicle won’t affect the ISS crew since they are provided with everything necessary up to March 2015.
Initially Cygnus launch was planned for Monday but was put off because of the unknown vessel detected the that region of the ocean the space vehicle was to fly above.
The vehicle was to deliver to the ISS 2,290 tons of cargoes, including foodstuffs for the crew and scientific equipment. The docking with the ISS was planned for November 2.
The first stage of Antares booster the burst at the lift-off was designed by Ukrainian design bureau “Yuzhnoye”.
Special Commission was gathered to investigate the causes of the accident.
