BROCK VERGAKIS, Associated Press
MARCIA DUNN, Associated Press

ATLANTIC, Va. (AP) — NASA and officials from a commercial rocket company are searching for debris and answers following the explosion of a rocket and cargo module that were to deliver supplies to astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

Bill Wrobel is director of NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility at Wallops Island, Virginia. He says crews plan to hit the ground at daybreak Wednesday to search for pieces of Orbital Sciences Corp.’s Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo ship.

The cargo ship that exploded Tuesday evening was carrying 5,000 pounds of experiments and equipment for NASA, as well as prepackaged meals and freeze-dried Maryland crabcakes for a Baltimore-born astronaut who’s been in orbit five months.

NASA space station program manager Mike Suffredini says astronauts at the station currently have enough supplies to last until spring.

 

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MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A commercial supply ship bound for the International Space Station has exploded moments after liftoff.

Orbital Sciences Corp.’s unmanned rocket blew up over the launch complex at Wallops Island, Virginia, just six seconds after liftoff.

The company says no one was believed to be hurt and the damage appeared to be limited to the facilities.

Flames could be seen shooting into the sky as the sun set.

The Cygnus cargo ship was loaded with 5,000 pounds of gear for the six people living on the space station. It was the fourth Cygnus bound for the orbiting lab; the first flew just over a year ago.

NASA is paying the Virginia-based Orbital Sciences and the California-based SpaceX company to keep the space station stocked in the post-shuttle era. This is the first disaster in that effort.