Iranian rocket explodes on launch pad  

An Iranian rocket exploded Thursday on the launch pad at the Khomeini Space Center in Iran, CNN reports, citing a US official familiar with an assessment of the incident.

The US has assessed the explosion most likely occurred during fueling operations, the official said.

A commercial satellite image taken on Thursday showed smoke rising from the launch pad.

The image was provided to CNN by Planet Labs Inc. and the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

"Today's image shows that they attempted to launch a satellite from their smaller launch pad, and that it failed," Dave Schmerler, a senior research associate at the Middlebury Institute told CNN.

Schmerler added that Iran may make another attempt, "there is also activity at their larger launch pad, so Iran may try to launch the other satellite in the near future."