Processing error doomed Falcon 1 launch
Posted: Fri, Apr 7, 2006, 8:38 AM ET (1238 GMT)
A procedural error during launch preparations, not a design flaw, is the likely cause of the loss of a Falcon 1 rocket on its maiden flight last month, the CEO of SpaceX said Wednesday. Elon Musk, speaking at the National Space Symposium in Colorado, said that a "pad processing error" the day before the launch caused the accident. While Musk did not provide further details, SPACE.com reported that a technician loosened a fuel pipe to work on the rocket's avionics, but failed to tighten it after competing the work. The rocket was lost March 24 when a fuel leak caught fire after liftoff, damaging the engine's helium pressurization system and causing the engine to shut down. An investigation, being performed with the government, is ongoing; the next Falcon 1 launch will not take place until later this year, once the investigation is complete. Musk did announce at the conference that SpaceX has signed a contract with Canadian company MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates to launch its CASSIOPE satellite on a Falcon 9 in 2008. The launch contract was completed after the Falcon 1 failure, Musk noted.
A procedural error during launch preparations, not a design flaw, is the likely cause of the loss of a Falcon 1 rocket on its maiden flight last month, the CEO of SpaceX said Wednesday. Elon Musk, speaking at the National Space Symposium in Colorado, said that a "pad processing error" the day before the launch caused the accident. While Musk did not provide further details, SPACE.com reported that a technician loosened a fuel pipe to work on the rocket's avionics, but failed to tighten it after competing the work. The rocket was lost March 24 when a fuel leak caught fire after liftoff, damaging the engine's helium pressurization system and causing the engine to shut down. An investigation, being performed with the government, is ongoing; the next Falcon 1 launch will not take place until later this year, once the investigation is complete. Musk did announce at the conference that SpaceX has signed a contract with Canadian company MacDonald Dettwiler and Associates to launch its CASSIOPE satellite on a Falcon 9 in 2008. The launch contract was completed after the Falcon 1 failure, Musk noted.| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
Senate seeks to add $10 billion to NASA human spaceflight programs
Posted: Sat, Jun 7 10:46 AM ET (1446 GMT) |
|
news links
|
|
Sunday, June 15
Starlink mind games in South Africa
MyBroadband — 12:10 am ET (0410 GMT) Amazon Project Kuiper satellite launch scheduled for Monday afternoon
WESH-TV Orlando — 12:08 am ET (0408 GMT) Study highlights need to manage the growth of space exploration
Radio New Zealand — 12:06 am ET (0406 GMT) A Nazi rebranded as a Space Race hero – but you probably knew that already
The Daily Telegraph — 12:02 am ET (0402 GMT) NASA Considers Axiom Launch Next Week Following Delay
Bloomberg News — 12:02 am ET (0402 GMT) |
