XPost: alt.fan.sean-hannity, talk.politics.misc, alt.politics.democrats   
   From: rainbow.follies@barackobama.com   
      
   CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - An unmanned Space Exploration   
   Technologies rocket exploded about two minutes after liftoff   
   from Florida on Sunday, destroying a cargo ship bound for the   
   International Space Station in the latest in a string of mishaps   
   in supplying the orbiting outpost.   
      
   The 208-foot-tall (63-meter) rocket, built and flown by the   
   company known as SpaceX that is owned by technology entrepreneur   
   Elon Musk, had previously made 18 successful launches since its   
   2010 debut. Those included six cargo runs for NASA under a 15-   
   flight contract worth more than $2 billion.   
      
   The accident soon after liftoff from Cape Canaveral Air Force   
   Station was the second successive botched mission to resupply   
   the space station. A Russian Progress cargo ship failed to reach   
   the outpost in April following a problem with its Soyuz   
   launcher. Russia plans to launch a replacement capsule on Friday.   
      
   Only SpaceX's Dragon capsules, however, return cargo and   
   critical experiment results back from the station. The company's   
   next supply run for NASA had been targeted for September, but   
   the launch schedule is likely to be revised.   
      
   The explosion also marks a setback for SpaceX, which was poised   
   to compete for the first time against United Launch Alliance, a   
   joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and Boeing Co   
   (BA.N) and the current sole launch provider for military and spy   
   satellite launches, to launch a GPS III satellite.   
      
   Musk said on Twitter: "Falcon 9 experienced a problem shortly   
   before first stage shutdown. Will provide more info as soon as   
   we review the data."   
      
   A spokesman for the company had no immediate further comment.   
      
   It was not immediately clear if the rocket broke apart on its   
   own, or if Air Force range safety officers detonated explosives   
   on the rocket, part of a system to ensure wayward boosters do   
   not impact populated areas, NASA said.   
      
   Air Force officials were not immediately available to comment.   
      
   http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/28/us-space-spacex-launch-   
   idUSKCN0P80NM20150628   
       
      
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