SEE: Firefly's Alpha rocket EXPLODES minutes after launch in the first launch ever

A rocket produced by the airline Firefly encountered a catastrophic failure minutes after its initial launch off the coast of California, which erupted into a massive fireball when the vessel exploded in the middle of the flight.

Intended to reach orbit in its maiden voyage on Thursday, the Alpha rocket instead met a burning end high above the Pacific Ocean due to an unspecified “Anomaly” Firefly confirmed in a tweet. According to a live feed from the launch, the explosion occurred about two and a half minutes after takeoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.

“Alpha experienced an anomaly during ascent in the first stage that resulted in the loss of the vehicle. As we gather more information, more information will be provided, ” said the company, adding that the start plate and all the surrounding areas had been cleared before take-off to reduce the risk to employees.

The moment of the explosion was recorded on film, where Alpha was seen tumbling harmlessly through the sky before exploding and sending debris raining down to the ground in the middle of a lingering column of black and gray smoke.

Alpha was designed to launch up to 1,000 kg of payload in a low-ground orbit and stand about 95 feet high, and Alpha was to set up a test flight with a number of instruments in orbit on Thursday. Although that test was originally scheduled for December last year, Firefly CEO Tom Markusic explained it earlier “Problems with Preparedness for the Launch Site” caused delays.

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