NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / World

Aliens sabotaged SpaceX launch explosion conspiracy theorists claim

Daily Mail
5 Sep, 2016 12:49 AM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Source: USLaunchReport

The world watched in horror as SpaceX's Falcon 9 burst into flames on the Cape Canaveral launch pad during a routine check for its long awaited trip to space to launch a Facebook satellite last week.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the blast originated around the upper stage oxygen tank, but what caused it still remains a mystery.

However, conspiracy theorists have developed a different theory after seeing 'an anomaly' pass over at the same time as the blast and suggest an alien air strike sabotaged the mission.

The 604-tonne rocket was being fueled with a concoction of liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellant when the upper region burst into flames.

The entire craft was engulfed in what seemed like seconds, including Facebook's $200 million communication satellite that was specifically designed to bring internet to Africa.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

And although Flalcon 9's creators are baffled by the turn of events, a new theory has emerged that could provide answers.

Since the explosion, YouTube videos have been surfacing that highlight a mysterious anomaly passing over Falcon 9 as it sits on the launch pad before, during and after the explosion, Daily Express reported.

Slow video revealed a black object flying over the rocket at the moment it met its fate. Photo / YouTube / Graphics King
Slow video revealed a black object flying over the rocket at the moment it met its fate. Photo / YouTube / Graphics King

YouTuber Graphics King posted footage yesterday and slowed down the video to reveal a black object flying over the rocket at the moment it met its fate.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Alien hunters, Martian researchers and the non-believers have all flocked to the video in order to state their opinions of what this mysterious object might be.

Some firmly believe the rocket exploding was not a mechanical error, but an attack from another world.

"I am pretty sure this is not the first time they hit us. I saw another rocket in flight (right after lift off), being destroyed by a saucer,' a users by the name of 'UFO Hunter' shared.

"I guess these rockets look too much like ICBMs with a big fat bomb attached to the tip!
'The Aliens are trying to put an end to nuclear missiles and war."

Discover more

Business

Elon Musk poised to unveil Tesla masterplan

17 Jul 11:26 PM
Business

Companies flood Earth's orbit with satellites

24 Jul 09:50 PM

Another shares: "That bug is at least going 3,600mph minimum. Its not a bird, its an Alien with a laser that destroyed the rocket."

However, others have chimed in to debunk the theory of extraterrestrials.

"Sadly it was just a bird flying past, if you watch the normal speed video, there are birds flying past start to end," Richard Edwards shares.

One individual claims to have seen the extraterrestrial vehicle hover over Falcon 9 with their own eyes.

A Reddit user by the name of 'rainbowfish4' claims to be one of the welders at Kennedy Space Center who was working on the launch and submitted a post following the explosion.

Rainbow24 states there were strange lights that appeared 'in the sky above the pad' while they were getting ready for the launch.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"About 20 minutes before launch there was an impression in the cloud (its rainy here) of an oblong shape you could almost see the blue sky through it then 3 white lights appeared in the center of it and then just appeared with a blink of an eye they were visible for maybe 20 seconds.

The Reddit users continues to explain that just 20 minutes after the bizarre sighting, the rocket exploded.

However, staff is not permitted to have their phones while in the hanger due to 'safety reasons', so no pictures or footage was captured of the bizarre claim.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from World

Premium
OpinionUpdated

James Acton: Why we can’t bomb our way out of this

19 Jun 09:59 PM
World

Watch: Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship explodes on test stand

19 Jun 09:44 PM
World

Watch: Crane operator caught napping behind Trump during White House event

19 Jun 09:34 PM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from World

Premium
James Acton: Why we can’t bomb our way out of this

James Acton: Why we can’t bomb our way out of this

19 Jun 09:59 PM

New York Times Opinion: Military options are held to lower standard than diplomatic ones.

Watch: Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship explodes on test stand

Watch: Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starship explodes on test stand

19 Jun 09:44 PM
Watch: Crane operator caught napping behind Trump during White House event

Watch: Crane operator caught napping behind Trump during White House event

19 Jun 09:34 PM
EU passes new rules for pets, including microchips and bans on mutilations

EU passes new rules for pets, including microchips and bans on mutilations

19 Jun 09:24 PM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP