In a statement released Saturday, SpaceX said 25 seconds after launch - from Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific - "a fuel leak of currently unknown origin caused a fire around the top of the main engine that cut into the first stage helium pneumatic system."

The company statement said high-resolution imagery clearly showed a fire starting within seconds after liftoff, but the images were not released at that time. "Once the pneumatic pressure decayed below a critical value," SpaceX continued, "the spring return safety function of the pre-valves forced them closed, shutting down the main engine at (29 seconds)."

Elon Musk, SpaceX's founder and chief executive officer, said his company will begin an investigation soon in partnership with the U.S. government to determine the nature of the launch failure.

"Our plan at this point is to analyze data and debris to be certain that the above preliminary analysis is correct and then isolate and address all possible causes for the fuel leak," Musk said. "In addition, we will do another ground up systems review of the entire vehicle to flush out any other potential issues."

Musk also said he hopes another Falcon launch can be attempted "in less than six months."

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