Comments on: Falcon 9 explodes two minutes into launch

By: David M. Cook

David M. Cook — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 21:26:10 +0000

In reply to Cotour. Clearly, it's a Roton Rotary Rocket!

By: frank

frank — Wed, 01 Jul 2015 03:08:50 +0000

SpaceX’s CRS-7 page says “Telemetry indicates first stage flight was nominal and that Dragon remained healthy for some period of time following separation.”

The good news from this is that it raises the possibility that thrusters on a manned capsule could have removed the capsule from harm’s way in future scenario like this.

By: Cotour

Cotour — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:56:39 +0000

Unrelated:

Tin hat time NASA nerds, what are these things and why did NASA cut the feed / have “technical difficulties” when they appeared?

https://youtu.be/wySFvmvr6Mg

By: David M. Cook

David M. Cook — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 22:32:33 +0000

Just goes to show you that Murphy is always looking for an opening! While everyone was focused on the first stage & it’s recovery he was riding in the upper stage & working his gremlins overtime!

I just wish the development of this system was started sooner, before the ISS really needed it. Too bad the ULA & other dinospace players were not even trying until Musk began SpaceX.

Of course, Mr. Musk will find out the cause & get it fixed WAY SOONER than NASA or anyone else would have. After all, startups need to be quick and nimble to steal away the meat from the larger critters!

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 16:26:18 +0000

In reply to Mike Nelson. It is very likely that the Air Force range control, upon seeing that the rocket had failed, acted to destroy it to prevent it from flying out of control. This might explain the sudden final explosion that appeared to destroy everything. Update: in reviewing yesterday's press conference, I have learned that the Air Force probably did not destroy the rocket. Thus, the way it exploded becomes important to the investigation.

By: Mike Nelson

Mike Nelson — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 13:48:50 +0000

In reply to t-dub.

What is peculiar is that it is the head of the rocket (at or near Dragon) that appears to be the point of failure, not the thrusting 1st stage which amazingly soldiers on for a number of seconds. It will be very interesting to learn what failed.

Strange too is that everything essentially vaporized (other than the noted piece of debris in the still) leaving NOTHING after the blast. Perhaps they pulled off another SpaceX
first and opened a wormhole ; )

By: D.K. Williams

D.K. Williams — Mon, 29 Jun 2015 06:47:33 +0000

Seems to me cheaper to attach a tiny rocket to each poop bucket, fire it in such manner as to slow it below orbital velocity, and let nature take its course ( double pun intended).

By: Edward

Edward — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 23:05:19 +0000

In reply to Don. The slow motion video shows that something went wrong above the first stage. It looked like the first stage continued normal propulsion for seven seconds after the event. The results of the investigation will be good to learn.

By: Alexey

Alexey — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 20:38:08 +0000

I’m wonder if somebody can help Russians to check on safety and rocket equipment functionality ahead of Progress launch. It’s not only Space-X, look like Russians also are not the best rocket scientists. I guess US help is impossible these days.

By: pzatchok

pzatchok — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 19:57:51 +0000

I feel bad about this but it was a pretty explosion though.

By: Don

Don — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 17:50:46 +0000

I think we sometimes forget that there are many things that could possibly go wrong with every launch of these rockets.

Musk has been tweeting out a little preliminary info about an “overpressure event in the upper stage liquid oxygen tank”. Direct quote.

By: Robert Zimmerman

Robert Zimmerman — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 17:38:52 +0000

In reply to t-dub.

Nice catch!

If this is so, then it is a shame that Dragon capsule did not have the SuperDraco thrusters. They could have demonstrated its launch abort capabilities during a real failure. Even so, if they can demonstrate that the Dragon separated and was intact after the explosion they will once again confirm the viability of that engineering.

More important right now, however, is finding out what caused the first stage failure.

By: t-dub

t-dub — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 17:34:15 +0000

Robert, here is a slow motion video of the Falcon 9 explosion. My eyes see something interesting starting at about 33 or 34 seconds on the video. You can see a definite shadow, the shape of the Dragon capsule, coming away from the rocket. I grabbed a screen shot and highlighted this at the 38 second mark, see my link below. SpaceX said they continued to receive telemetry from the capsule after the event and I think this is what we are seeing here. Amazing.

Slo motion video: https://youtu.be/fTom8xVzFdo

My highlighted still picture: http://s6.postimg.org/npbes8obl/screenshot_2015_06_28_at_10_30_56.jpg

By: t-dub

t-dub — Sun, 28 Jun 2015 16:56:15 +0000

I was watching the launch live when it happened. Thank goodness it was an unmanned flight. When all that weird exhaust started coming off the upper stage I thought to myself “that doesn’t look right” and then the rocket disintegrated. I know Elon Musk and SpaceX will come back strong from this but what a disappointment. I was really hoping they were going to recover the first stage today.