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Falcon Images Show Fatal Engine Fire
El Segundo CA (SPX) Mar 27, 2006 New images released by Space Exploration Technologies Inc. of the launch of the Falcon 1 last Friday clearly show the beginning of an engine fire that ultimately caused mission controllers to destroy the rocket less than a minute into its historic flight. In a statement released Saturday, SpaceX said 25 seconds after launch - from Kwajalein Atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific - "a fuel leak of currently unknown origin caused a fire around the top of the main engine that cut into the first stage helium pneumatic system." The company statement said high-resolution imagery clearly showed a fire starting within seconds after liftoff, but the images were not released at that time. "Once the pneumatic pressure decayed below a critical value," SpaceX continued, "the spring return safety function of the pre-valves forced them closed, shutting down the main engine at (29 seconds)." Elon Musk, SpaceX's founder and chief executive officer, said his company will begin an investigation soon in partnership with the U.S. government to determine the nature of the launch failure. "Our plan at this point is to analyze data and debris to be certain that the above preliminary analysis is correct and then isolate and address all possible causes for the fuel leak," Musk said. "In addition, we will do another ground up systems review of the entire vehicle to flush out any other potential issues." Musk also said he hopes another Falcon launch can be attempted "in less than six months." Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links SpaceX Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com
Falcon 1 Lost In First Launch Attempt
Washington DC (SPX) Mar 24, 2006What was meant to herald a new era in low cost spaceflight Friday instead became an object lesson in just how difficult it is to build a new launch vehicle from scratch. Space Exploration Technologies Inc. has yet to report in detail what happened to Falcon 1, but Elon Musk, the company's founder and chief executive officer, said this in a statement shortly after the loss of the rocket: "We had a successful liftoff and Falcon made it well clear of the launch pad, but unfortunately the vehicle was lost later in the first stage burn. More information will be posted once we have had time to analyze the problem." |
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