SpaceX rocket explodes at test firing in Florida

An explosion at a test-firing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has destroyed the craft and a communications satellite it had been due to take into space.

The private aerospace company, owned by Tesla chief Elon Musk said that no one was injured during the incident, which was the result of an "anomaly".

Images being circulated on social media show a large amount of smoke emanating from the explosion site at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Facebook is reported to have been one of the companies using the satellite, with founder Mark Zuckerberg hoping to provide internet access to 14 sub-Saharan countries in Africa.

"Can confirm that in preparation for today’s standard pre-launch static fire test, there was an anomaly on the pad resulting in the loss of the vehicle and its payload. Per standard procedure, the pad was clear and there were no injuries," SpaceX said in a statement from company officials.

Reports said that several people felt the explosion in buildings located several miles from the site of the explosion.

SpaceX was founded by Musk in 2002 with the ultimate aim of making space travelling easier and more affordable, and he has said that he hopes to send humans to Mars as early as 2024.