Suborbital rocket explodes after liftoff
Posted: Fri, Aug 22, 2008, 8:10 AM ET (1210 GMT)
An ATK-developed suborbital rocket carrying two NASA experiments exploded shortly after liftoff from Virginia Friday morning. The ATK Launch Vehicle (ALV) X-1 lifted off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at Wallops Island, Virginia, at 5:10 am EDT (0910 GMT) Friday but exploded 27 seconds after liftoff, according to a NASA statement. The cause for the explosion is not known. According to the statement most of the rocket debris fell into the Atlantic Ocean, although there were conflicting reports about whether any debris fell on land; that debris is considered hazardous and should not be approached by the public. The ALV was carrying two experiments, one to study the hypersonic boundary layer around the vehicle and the other to test a new design for reentry capsules, provided by NASA. The launch was the first for the two-stage solid-propellant vehicle, which was designed to lead to the development of a larger version for orbital launches of small satellites.
An ATK-developed suborbital rocket carrying two NASA experiments exploded shortly after liftoff from Virginia Friday morning. The ATK Launch Vehicle (ALV) X-1 lifted off from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport (MARS) at Wallops Island, Virginia, at 5:10 am EDT (0910 GMT) Friday but exploded 27 seconds after liftoff, according to a NASA statement. The cause for the explosion is not known. According to the statement most of the rocket debris fell into the Atlantic Ocean, although there were conflicting reports about whether any debris fell on land; that debris is considered hazardous and should not be approached by the public. The ALV was carrying two experiments, one to study the hypersonic boundary layer around the vehicle and the other to test a new design for reentry capsules, provided by NASA. The launch was the first for the two-stage solid-propellant vehicle, which was designed to lead to the development of a larger version for orbital launches of small satellites.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, February 12
Philip Plait on the Wonders of the Universe
The Browser — 7:00 pm ET (0000 GMT) Young girl's curiosity of science leads to becoming first African-American woman in space
US Air Force — 6:58 pm ET (2358 GMT) Cleveland-built testing equipment ready for space
AP — 6:57 pm ET (2357 GMT) Out of this world! Video shows spectacular view of moon and Northern Lights from space
The Daily Mail — 6:56 pm ET (2356 GMT) Final ‘go’ for Vega launch
ESA — 10:27 am ET (1527 GMT) |