Advertisement
Advertisement
A handout image from a Nasa video camera shows a fire burning on a launch pad after the blast that destroyed a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket last week. Photo: EPA

After explosion, SpaceX satellite customer says it’s owed US$50 million or a free ride

The costs of the SpaceX rocket explosion last Thursday are starting to roll in.

The customer whose satellite blew up with the rocket, Space Communication Ltd of Israel, said in a conference call Sunday that it could seek US$50 million or a free flight.

The company also said it could collect US$205 million from the satellite’s builder, Israel Aerospace Industries.

Asked for comment, SpaceX said it doesn’t disclose contract or insurance terms.

The cause of the explosion, which destroyed a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and its payload, is unknown. Facebook, one of several clients for the satellite’s services, intended to expand Internet service to parts of Africa lacking modern communications infrastructure.
The cause of the explosion that destroyed a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket last week is not known. Photo: Reuters

Space Communication had been planning to merge with China’s Beijing Xinwei Technology Group, but that deal is now on hold.

SpaceX is a private company run by entrepreneur Elon Musk, who is also chief executive of Tesla Motors and chairman of SolarCity.

In a series of prepared statements after the explosion, SpaceX called the incident an “anomaly” and noted it has a 70-mission backlog worth more than US$10 billion.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: SPACEX customer says it’s due US$50 million or a free ride
Post