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Friday 09 September 2016 11:09 am

Elon Musk just went on a mini rant about the SpaceX Falcon fireball

By: Francesca Washtell

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Tesla founder and tech-world entrepreneur Elon Musk has been on a mini-rant today about the explosion that engulfed his SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket last week. 

Musk's SpaceX is a space tourism company that is aiming to take humans to Mars by 2025. 

But the forward-looking group suffered a major setback during pre-launch testing last week, when it exploded into a fireball and destroyed Facebook's first satellite which was due to be launched into orbit. 


The SpaceX Falcon rocket had successfully launched from the spot many times before (Source: Getty)

Musk took to Twitter this morning to take about the Falcon fireball investigation, which he said is ongoing and is turning out to be "the most difficult and complex failure we have ever had in 14 years". 

He added that he was particularly trying to understand the "quieter bang sound a few seconds before the fireball goes off", which may come "from [a] rocket or something else". 

Still working on the Falcon fireball investigation. Turning out to be the most difficult and complex failure we have ever had in 14 years.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2016

Important to note that this happened during a routine filling operation. Engines were not on and there was no apparent heat source.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2016

Support & advice from @NASA, @FAA, @AFPAA & others much appreciated. Please email any recordings of the event to [email protected].

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2016

Particularly trying to understand the quieter bang sound a few seconds before the fireball goes off. May come from rocket or something else.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2016

Will get back to Autopilot update blog tomorrow.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 9, 2016

Read more: How the SpaceX explosion will cost at least $50m (and then some)

Musk previously sent out just two tweets on the day of the rocket explosion:

Loss of Falcon vehicle today during propellant fill operation. Originated around upper stage oxygen tank. Cause still unknown. More soon.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 1, 2016

Finishing Autopilot blog postponed to end of weekend

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 1, 2016

Tesla's share price closed down 2.16 per cent yesterday, but had only fallen 0.09 per cent in pre-market trading to $197.36. 

[charts-share-price id="534"]

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