Says It Is 'Chasing Down All Leads' In Loss Of Falcon Rocket And Payload

While nobody is accusing anybody of anything, a SpaceX official recently visited one of the buildings of its competitor ULA as part of its investigation into the loss of a Falcon 9 rocket and satellite payload last month. The SpaceX employee asked for access to the roof of the building.

After putting out a call for any still images of video captured by anyone prior to the launch pad explosion, a video was received showing what is described as a "odd shadow" and then a "white spot" on the roof of the ULA building just before the explosion.

The Washington Post reports that the SpaceX representative explained that the visit was cordial, not accusatory, and they were simply trying to examine all possible leads as part of the investigation. The building is one used by ULA to refurbish rocket motors.

The request was denied by ULA, which ultimately asked Air Force personnel to look at the roof. They reportedly did not find anything connected with the explosion.

SpaceX Founder Elon Musk has called the accident "the most difficult and complex" the company has ever had. He wrote on Twitter that the company is "trying to understand the quieter bang sound a few seconds before the fireball goes off. May come from rocket or something else.”

At an aerospace conference in Mexico last week, Musk said that the company has "eliminated all of the obvious possibilities for what occurred there. So what remains are the less probable answers."

(Images from file)

FMI: www.spacex.com