WATCH: A Russian satellite explodes shortly after takeoff
A massive Proton-M rocket carrying 600 tons of fuel slams into the ground


An unmanned Russian rocket carrying three satellites spun off course within seconds of its launch early Tuesday morning, ultimately crashing into the ground and exploding in a billowing fireball.
The Proton-M rocket wobbled shortly after taking off from the Baikonur space center in Kazakhstan, turning sideways and then splintering into pieces before hurtling back to Earth. The rocket was loaded with 600 tons of toxic propellant, raising fears that the explosion could send a poisonous plume toward nearby towns.
There were no reported casualties as a result of the accident.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS) did not immediately identify what went wrong.
"There was an accident during the Proton-M launch," a ROSCOSMOS spokesman told the Moscow Times. "The rocket fell and exploded on the territory of the launch site. An investigation commission headed by Roscosmos deputy head Alexander Lopatin has been set up."
It was the second failed launch of a Proton-M rocket in the past three years.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
-
An ingredient in Coca-Cola may be funding Sudan's war
Under the Radar Global trade in gum arabic centres on the African nation – and proceeds bankroll conflict between the army and paramilitary rebels
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Homes for multi-generational families
Feature Featuring a 1900 Jacobean-style mansion in Massachusetts and a 22.5-acre compound in California
By The Week US Published
-
The Week contest: Foot PSA
Puzzles and Quizzes
By The Week US Published