Jun 28, 2015 07:38 PM
(This post was last modified: Jun 28, 2015 07:42 PM by Yazata.)
A Falcon 9 booster intended to launch a Dragon supply capsule to the International Space Station exploded during its first-stage burn this morning (Sunday, June 28).
Elon Musk has tweeted that there seems to have been a pressure problem with the oxidizer tank.
Whatever the cause turns out to be, this is a huge blow for SpaceX and for the entire US space program (such as it is).
Until this event, the Falcon 9 has had an almost perfect safety record. NASA has contracted with them for supply flights to the ISS, and for manned crew transport tentatively beginning in 2017. In order to be man-rated, the launcher has to have demonstrated an acceptable reliability record. Exploding doesn't help. And just a few weeks ago, the US Air Force relented and agreed that SpaceX can contract to launch Air Force satellites, potentially including high-value spy satellites. That decision is inevitably going to be revisited.
So expect months and months of government hearings and additional safety requirements being passed down (some of them probably very costly and/or pretty anal).
Back in April, the last scheduled supply capsule for the ISS also failed. That one was launched by the Russians. So the Space Station crew was eagerly awaiting this ill-fated flight. NASA is insisting that the station has several months of supplies on board and nobody is at risk.
Elon Musk has tweeted that there seems to have been a pressure problem with the oxidizer tank.
Whatever the cause turns out to be, this is a huge blow for SpaceX and for the entire US space program (such as it is).
Until this event, the Falcon 9 has had an almost perfect safety record. NASA has contracted with them for supply flights to the ISS, and for manned crew transport tentatively beginning in 2017. In order to be man-rated, the launcher has to have demonstrated an acceptable reliability record. Exploding doesn't help. And just a few weeks ago, the US Air Force relented and agreed that SpaceX can contract to launch Air Force satellites, potentially including high-value spy satellites. That decision is inevitably going to be revisited.
So expect months and months of government hearings and additional safety requirements being passed down (some of them probably very costly and/or pretty anal).
Back in April, the last scheduled supply capsule for the ISS also failed. That one was launched by the Russians. So the Space Station crew was eagerly awaiting this ill-fated flight. NASA is insisting that the station has several months of supplies on board and nobody is at risk.
