Antares Rocket Explosion: Full Coverage and Investigation

The Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard suffers a catastrophic anomaly moments after launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
The Orbital Sciences Corporation Antares rocket, with the Cygnus spacecraft onboard suffers a catastrophic anomaly moments after launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport Pad 0A, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2014, at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. (Image credit: NASA/Joel Kowsky)

On Oct. 28, 2014, a commercial Antares rocket built by Orbital Sciences Corporation exploded just after liftoff at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. Here's Space.com's full coverage of the rocket mishap and its ensuing investigation.

LATEST STORY: NASA Warns Public to Stay Away from Antares Rocket Debris
NASA and Orbital Sciences officials are warning the public to not touch any possible debris from Tuesday's Antares rocket explosion, and to call authorities if they spot any fragments from the blast. 

Scroll down for more coverage on the Antares rocket failure: 

Photos and Videos

Full Coverage

Wednesday, Oct. 29

NASA Warns Public to Stay Away from Antares Rocket Debris
Orbital Sciences and NASA have issued a warning to the public to avoid contact with any suspected debris from the Antares rocket explosion of Oct. 27. Here's who to call if you think you've found some rocket debris.

Tuesday, Oct. 28

Private Orbital Sciences Rocket Explodes During Launch, NASA Cargo Lost
An unmanned Antares rocket and Cygnus spacecraft were destroyed shortly after launch on Tuesday night (Oct. 28) after a "catastrophic anomaly" that arose seconds after liftoff. Here's what we know so far.

Private Rocket Explosion Sparks Investigation by NASA, Orbital Sciences
NASA and the Orbital Sciences Corporation have launched an in-depth investigation into the loss of an Antares rocket and its Cygnus spacecraft cargo shortly after liftoff on Oct. 28, 2014. 

Antares explosion videos

Private Rocket to Make 2nd Launch Try Tonight: Watch Live
The spaceflight company Orbital Sciences Corporation will launch its third Cygnus cargo mission to the space station on an Antares rocket. Here's how to watch the liftoff at 6:22 p.m. EDT.

Monday, Oct. 27

Private Rocket Launch to Deliver Space Station Supplies Delayed by Boat
A wayard boat that drifted into the launch hazard area offshore forced Orbital Sciences to postpone the planned launch of its Antares rocket Monday night. The launch has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Private Rocket to Launch Space Station Cargo for NASA Tonight: Watch Live
Orbital Sciences will launch an unmanned Antares rocket and Cygnus cargo ship to the International Space Station tonight to deliver 2.5 tons of supplies to the crew there. Here's how to watch online. 

Sunday Oct. 26

Nighttime Rocket Launch Will Be Visible from US East Coast Monday
An Orbital Sciences Antares rocket is poised to launch an unmanned Cygnus spacecraft to the International Space Station Monday night (Oct. 27) and it may be visible to observers along the U.S. Eastern Seaboard. Here's how to see it.

See the Antares Rocket's 1st Night Launch from East Coast: Visibility Maps
Check these visibility maps to see if you can see the Antares rocket launch on Monday night from your backyard. 

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Tariq Malik
Editor-in-Chief

Tariq is the Editor-in-Chief of Space.com and joined the team in 2001, first as an intern and staff writer, and later as an editor. He covers human spaceflight, exploration and space science, as well as skywatching and entertainment. He became Space.com's Managing Editor in 2009 and Editor-in-Chief in 2019. Before joining Space.com, Tariq was a staff reporter for The Los Angeles Times covering education and city beats in La Habra, Fullerton and Huntington Beach. In October 2022, Tariq received the Harry Kolcum Award for excellence in space reporting from the National Space Club Florida Committee. He is also an Eagle Scout (yes, he has the Space Exploration merit badge) and went to Space Camp four times as a kid and a fifth time as an adult. He has journalism degrees from the University of Southern California and New York University. You can find Tariq at Space.com and as the co-host to the This Week In Space podcast with space historian Rod Pyle on the TWiT network. To see his latest project, you can follow Tariq on Twitter @tariqjmalik.