SpaceX Rocket Carrying Facebook Satellite Explodes

On September 2, 2016, a SpaceX rocket carrying a Facebook satellite exploded during fueling. The satellite it was carrying was intended to be used for distributing internet access to Africa as well as Europe and the Middle East.

Image: YouTube/USLaunchReport

What does this mean for the future of SpaceX? The company has been making strides to increase their space capabilities, and confidently churning ahead despite several past incidents.

Image: Michael Seeley (flickr)

Earlier in 2015, SpaceX's Falcon-9 Dragon CRS-7 exploded. The company has also been attempting to perfect their reusable rockets, where they've reached several roadblocks (see below for an attempted relanding which failed):

Video: YouTube

The recent crash caused Elon Musk, CEO of both Tesla and SolarCity, to lose $390M of his personal fortune. Mark Zuckerberg also had something to say regarding the incident: 'As I'm here in Africa, I'm deeply disappointed to hear that SpaceX's launch failure destroyed our satellite that would have provided connectivity to so many entrepreneurs and everyone else across the continent,' Zuckerberg wrote.

Despite all of the hurdles, many still believe SpaceX to be a company that is pioneering the future of space travel and exploration. Below is a video of a successful rocket landing:

Video: YouTube