sad for them

Kept peeking at SpaceFlightNow.com for reports on Orbital.

I was sad for them. It must be devastating this failure. The company must be under extraordinary pressure to complete objectives and satisfy their contracts all while trying to be safe. There must be competitive pressures too. How will this affect the American commercial resupply programme? While there were no injuries in this incident, there was still great loss. The ISS supplies, first and foremost. But also science experiments. And projects by schools. I heard that students were at the launch site. Sad for the by scientists and the children.

Ironically, the day before, they demonstrated their safety procedures by waving off...

This is a tough business. As gravity remains a harsh mistress.

Early indications suggest a stage 1 engine failure. A possible fault in the old but rejuvenated Russian engines. It did seem to me that the rocket lost thrust. Things started coming off the bottom of the rocket. Before Range Safety hit the Destruct button.