Posted: Fri, Aug 30, 2019, 6:17 PM ET (2217 GMT)
An Iranian rocket appears to have exploded on its pad during preparations for a launch. Satellite imagery taken Thursday showed a plume of smoke and debris around the pad where work was underway to prepare a vehicle, likely a Safir rocket, for an orbital launch. Analysts speculate that some kind of problem during the fueling process, or an electrical short, could have triggered the explosion. Iran attempted two orbital launches earlier this year, which both failed.

Related Links:

•  NPR article
•  AP article
•  Space.com article