A new and advanced hypersonic weapon developed by the U.S. Army exploded over Kodiak Island, Alaska just shortly after it was launched.

The flight test was part of a Conventional Prompt Global Strike technology development program of the U.S. Army, said the Department of Defense. It was conducted under the U.S. Army Space's Missile Defense Command/Army Forces Strategic Command.

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The test flight took off after twelve midnight Monda and was immediately terminated due to an anomaly detected near the launch pad to ensure public safety according to the DoD.

Kodiak's public radio station, KMXT, reported the explosion could be heard more than 10 miles around the area of the launch site.

Although some falling debris caused minimal damage around the Kodiak Launch Complex, no one was hurt or injured during the incident that occurred around 4:00 a.m. EDT.

The program's aim is to give the U.S. the advantage and ability to shoot and strike anywhere around the world in less than an hour after receiving data and permission to launch, said DoD spokeswoman, Maureen Schumann.

Schumann confirms there was no risk at all during this test flight and this was a glide vehicle launched via booster, meaning there were no warheads or missiles on the launch vehicle. This was the weapon's second test flight.

The hypersonic weapon was developed by Sandia National Laboratory in collaboration with the U.S. Army. The first test flight was launched from Hawaii in 2011 and was considered a success.

The Kodiak flight test was supposed to be heading for the Army Reagan Test Site in the Kwajelein Atoll in Marshall Islands near Hawaii.

The DoD confirms program officials are now conducting an extensive investigation of the flight anomaly that caused the test flight to explode and crash in Kodiak.

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