SpaceX solicits public's help in investigation of rocket explosion

Spacex said Friday it needs help from the public in its investigation of last week's launch pad rocket explosion that it labelled "the most difficult and complex failure" in the company's 14-year history.

"If you have audio, photos or videos of our anomaly last week, please send to report@spacex.com," the California-based comapny tweeted. "Material may be useful for investigation."

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket exploded on Sept. 1 at Cape Canaveral, Florida during a prelaunch test, destroying the rocket itself and a 195-million-U.S.-dollar communications satellite it was carrying.

Also on Friday, Elon Musk, the company's founder and CEO, said on Twitter that they are "still working on the Falcon fireball investigation" and that the incident is "turning out to be the most difficult and complex failure we have ever had in 14 years."

It's "important to note that this happened during a routine filling operation" when "engines were not on and there was no apparent heat source," said Musk.

The investigators, he said, are "particularly trying to understand the quieter bang sound a few seconds before the fireball goes off" that "may come from rocket or something else."

When asked by a netizen about online rumors that something hit the rocket, Musk said they "have not ruled that out."

SpaceX, founded in 2002 by Musk, has been the face of American commercial space industry. It has been hired by the U.S. space agency NASA to send cargoes and, ultimately, American astronauts, to the International Space Station. Enditem