The explosion occurred six seconds after liftoff, NASA officials said during a live stream after the explosion. The cargo vehicle attached to the rocket was carrying 5,000 pounds of supplies, including about 1,300 pounds of food. The cargo also included an array of science experiments , including some designed by high school students.

The launch took place at 6:22 p.m. ET, and was supposed to resupply the International Space Station.

NASA officials described the explosion as a "catastrophic anomaly" but said it did not cause any deaths or injuries.

During a NASA live stream after the explosion, an official said the takeoff was "flawless." Officials were still working to gather data half an hour later. Just after the explosion, Orbital Sciences Corp. tweeted that there was a "vehicle anomaly."

Orbital Sciences Corp. issued a statement after the explosion Tuesday saying it was "securing the site and data." Company Vice President and General Manager Frank Culbertson also said Tuesday that "it is far too early to know the details of what happened."