NASA Rocket Carrying Satellite Crashes in Pacific Ocean

NASA’s “Glory Mission” ended just 6 minutes after it began with the Taurus XL rocket and attached satellite named Glory apparently crashing into the Pacific Ocean.

The rocket was launched at 2:09 a.m. from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. NASA officials said it appears the crash was caused by a shell on the rocket failing to breakaway, making the rocket and satellite too heavy to go into orbit.

"We're expecting to shed weight as the fairing comes off. Obviously we didn't shed that weight, and the rocket just can't carry on into orbit with that extra amount of weight,” said mission director Omar Baez.

The satellite was supposed to collect information about how the sun and aerosols affect Earth’s climate. NASA has launched an investigation in to what exactly went wrong. This is the second time in a row a Taurus rocket carrying a satellite failed to go into orbit because the protective shell did not break away.

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