NASA said the launch of its OSIRIS-REx mission is still on track for Sept. 8 even after a SpaceX rocket explosion near the Cape Canaveral launch site Thursday morning.
The University of Arizona space mission is scheduled to blast off next Thursday from a launch pad at the Florida space complex adjacent to Kennedy Space Center.
The Orlando Sentinel reported that NASA was evaluating if the explosion of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a satellite aboard would affect the OSIRIS-REx launch.
The Falcon rocket was being tested ahead of a scheduled launch Saturday to put a communications satellite into orbit.
OSIRIS-REx will travel to an asteroid and bring back a sample of the space rock. The launch can occur any time conditions allow over about a month starting next week.
.@OSIRISREx launch remains on Sep. 8. Initial assessments show @ulalaunch rocket & spacecraft healthy & secure, 1.1 miles from @SpaceX’s pad
— NASA (@NASA) September 1, 2016
More Coverage
- UA-Led OSIRIS-REx Mission Could Bring Back Clues To Solar System Origins
- UA's OSIRIS-REx Spacecraft Being Readied For September Launch
- Arizona-Built Cameras Play Major Role In NASA's OSIRIS-REx Mission
SpaceX Explosion
A veterans group shared footage of the explosion on YouTube.