The payload, according to the Inquisitr, was Facebook's $150 million Amos-6 satellite.
Conspiracy theory analysts, such as the blogger Jim Stone and Ian Greenhalgh, claim that video uploaded online proves the explosion was caused by a UFO that fired at the launch pad and not by an "'anomaly' that developed around the upper stage oxygen tank," as Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX) engineers reportedly claimed.
According to Stone, the explosion could not have been caused by a fuel tank breach because it started at the top of the rocket near the UFO that was spotted flying over the launchpad and not at the bottom of the launchpad.
Stone insisted that the video shows the UFO firing at the rocket as it passed close to the launchpad and then flying away at a great speed.
"The attack was intended to prevent the satellite reaching Earth orbit to perform a nefarious purpose."
Greenhalgh agreed with Stone that the explosion was due to a "deliberate act of destruction" by a hostile agent.
"Note that the explosion occurs near the top of the rocket, where there aren't any fuel tanks," wrote Greenhalgh echoing Stone's analysis. "The explosion is also far hotter than would be caused by rocket fuel. The rocket fuel burning comes several frames later and is quite different looking -- the colors are reds and oranges with black and grey smoke."
"This is a secondary explosion where the rocket fuel was ignited by the primary explosion further up the rocket," he concluded.
According to Salla, analysis of 10 frames of footage of the failed pre-launch test revealed two UFOs that appeared moments before the explosion. One of the two UFOs flew above the rocket and fired at it.
"You will see a small looking UFO buzz by the rocket as it explodes!" an analyst wrote. "The UFO buzzes by the head of the rocket coming from the right side and moving to the left side of the screen at incredible speed."
Greenhalgh also insisted that the video shows a small spherical UFO craft that fired "a kind of laser or beam weapon" at the rocket.
"This is definitely some type of secret space program weapon technology being used. The secret space program war is in full view."