On Friday, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) destroyed an unmanned experimental rocket that carried about $17 million worth of equipment.

NASA detonated the explosives which had been placed on the nose of the rocket 27 seconds after its launch from Wallops Island, Va. The rocket failed to remain on its pre-established trajectory and, when it reached the height of about 11,000 feet, the administration decided to push the button.

According to NASA officials, most of the remains fell into the Atlantic Ocean; up to this point, no accidents have been signalled at ground level. An announcement was issued warning people not to touch any pieces of the rocket they may find, as they could be quite dangerous.

Kent V. Rominger, an official of Alliant Techsystems Inc. (the company that made the rocket), said that while the accident was indeed a big disappointment, it did not represent a setback. NASA spokeswoman Beth Dickey said the administration made the right decision, as it permanently has public safety among its primary concerns; she added that a team was being put together for a detailed analysis of the conditions in which the error had appeared.

"NASA is very disappointed in this failure but has directed its focus on protecting public safety and conducting a comprehensive investigation to identify the root cause," the space agency said in a statement. "NASA is assembling a multidiscipline team … to begin the investigation promptly."

Within NASA’s project, $11 million were put into the making of two satellites that are to conduct a series of hypersonic flights. A group of 50 scientists and engineers had worked for about thirty months for the project’s development.

Once the investigation’s results are presented, perhaps the causes of the accident will be found and the team will be able to avoid similar situations.