00:00 On this day in space.
00:03 On November 4, 2015, the United States Air Force planned to launch an experimental rocket for small satellites.
00:09 The launch didn't go according to plan.
00:12 For this mission, the Air Force was testing out the Super Stripey rocket.
00:16 The rocket used a rail to help with the lift-off.
00:19 Super Stripey left the ground, but the rocket quickly spun out of control.
00:23 When it crashed, it destroyed all of the tiny satellites riding on the rocket.
00:27 The cause? Likely a problem with the first stage motor.
00:30 The mission lost 13 tiny satellites known as CubeSats.
00:34 CubeSats are a popular option for space missions because they are small and cheap, and they often operate in swarms.
00:40 After failing to launch this batch of CubeSats, the Super Stripey program never recovered from its failure,
00:45 and the Air Force never tried launching another one.
00:48 And that's what happened on this day in space.
00:51 (dramatic music)
00:53 (upbeat music)
