Rocket Failure Brings New Worries

Press Release

Are we nearing a cliff where the safety of astronauts aboard the International Space Station could be jeopardized by a lack of supplies? What caused a SpaceX resupply rocket to explode yesterday shortly after takeoff? And how long will it be before America can once again safely launch astronauts into space?

Those are just a few of the questions on most everyone's mind as U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) plans to meet with officials from both SpaceX and NASA when he meets with them at noon today. Nelson, a former space shuttle crew member, is seen as the leading congressional expert on space and a chief proponent of our country's space exploration program for its economic, scientific and national security benefits.

"We would be remiss to underestimate the gravity of the situation right now," Nelson said today, noting, however, that SpaceX has made seven previous successful flights to the ISS for NASA. The company is one of only two private companies, besides governments, to send supplies to the space station.

The unmanned rocket carrying supplies and a new docking part to the space station broke up after liftoff yesterday morning, the failure coming on the heels of two previous failed shipments. In April, a Russian cargo ship was lost during reentry. And last October, another commercial space company's supply ship was destroyed shortly after liftoff.

Nelson is scheduled to be briefed at 12:00 p.m. at Kennedy Space Center. After the briefing, at about 1:30 p.m., the Florida lawmaker will be available to take media questions in the space center's press room.

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