At a Glance

SpaceX said a September rocket explosion was the result of liquid oxygen cooling to a level that caused it to freeze and explode.The company said it is moving forward with plans for rocket launches as soon as mid-December.

After weeks of investigating what caused a SpaceX rocket to explode on the launch pad, the company's CEO said he believes the issue has been located.

Elon Musk said it was a problem with the supercooled liquid oxygen , RedOrbit reported. During preparations for a Sept. 3 launch, the rocket exploded before engines , according to the New York Times. Musk said while the Falcon 9 was being refueled, liquid oxygen became so cold that it froze, triggering the explosion, the report added.

"," Musk told CNBC. "Really surprising problem that’s never been encountered before in the history of rocketry."

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This Thursday, Sept. 8, 2016 file photo shows the damaged SpaceX launch complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

(Red Huber/Florida Today via AP)

SpaceX said in a statement that the company . They believe the problem occurred because of the conditions present during the loading of helium into the liquid oxygen tank, and a change in temperature and pressure during the process can prevent a future disaster. According to the New York Times, the helium is heated up during a launch and used to keep pressure steady inside the tank as the liquid oxygen is consumed.

In addition to the loss of the rocket, a $200 million Israeli communications satellite , according to Reuters.

But SpaceX plans to get back on its feet as soon as safely possible, Musk said. Since SpaceX is one of just two companies that flies cargo to the International Space Station– and they'll soon be carrying astronauts there as well– a lengthy delay could be very costly for the company. They're planning to resume launches in mid-December, Reuters reported.

Now, the company just needs to figure out where those launches will occur. Because itsCape Canaveral, Florida, Launch Complex 40 sustained serious damage during the explosion, they'll have to use either the launchpad at California's Vandenberg Air Force Base or Kennedy Space Center's Launchpad 39A, which is being renovated by SpaceX, the New York Times also said.

"Pending the results of the investigation, we continue to work towards returning to flight before the end of the year," SpaceX said in a statement. "Our launch sites at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, and Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, remain on track to be operational in this timeframe."

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