Antares blows up on liftoff

WALLOPS ISLAND, Va. – An Orbital Science Antares rocket exploded just after liftoff Tuesday night, destroying the rocket, cargo and causing damage on the launch pad. The rocket, on a mission to bring supplies to the International Space Station, was unmanned and blew up about six seconds after leaving the launch pad at NASA’s Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport. The Cygnus spacecraft had some 5,000 pounds of supplies and experiments aboard. (Sources: multiple, including WKMG-TV, CBS News, CNN, 10/28/14) The Antares first stage is powered by twin AJ26 engines tested at Stennis Space Center, Miss. In May 2014, an AJ26 engine being tested at the E-complex reportedly exploded halfway through a test. Previous