CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- An explosion has rocked the SpaceX launch site in Florida.
NASA says SpaceX was conducting a test firing of its unmanned rocket when the blast occurred Thursday morning. The test, considered routine, was in advance of a planned Saturday launch from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
Buildings several miles away shook from the blast, and multiple explosions continued for several minutes. A cloud of dark smoke filled the overcast sky.
Additional details were not immediately available. But sirens could be heard in the aftermath.
The rocket was supposed to hoist an Israeli satellite this weekend.
Local news is also reporting the explosion at the SpaceX launch pad during test firing scenario. [EDIT] one single explosion followed by multiple smaller explosions.[/EDIT] Video is showing trailing smoke from the base of the strombeck. I am hoping there was no loss of life. Useless to guess at the cause. Just have to wait.
Launcher and payload both lost. I suspect repair requirements for the pad facilities may be considerable.
This is quite bad.
[edit: SpaceX themselves have said there were no injuries. Their brief statement asserts that the event occurred during preparation for the static firing.}
At approximately 9:07 a.m ET, during a standard pre-launch static fire test for the AMOS-6 mission, there was an anomaly at SpaceX's Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 resulting in loss of the vehicle. The anomaly originated around the upper stage oxygen tank, and occurred during the propellant loading of the vehicle. Per standard operating procedure, all personnel were clear of the pad and there were no injuries. We are continuing to review the data to identify the root cause. Additional updates will be provided as the become available.
The initial event is right about time 1:10 on the video, and seems to center a little below the join point between the second stage and the payload, and a bit to the right of center. While there are multiple secondary explosions, the big secondary about time 1:26 appears to coincide with the impact at ground level of the payload. (apparently it carried a lot of hydrazine, for some combination of orbital insertion and station-keeping purposes).
You may need to adjust the settings on your viewer, but this is available up to 1080p60 and shows quite a bit of detail.
They just ran the video on a local channel. From the video it looks like it occurred "at the top of the first stage" connect. I do not know if they recycle the 1st stage tube, and internal tanks or if the internal tanks are replaced. At this point who knows where the failure occurred. I hope this is not due to metal fatique in recycled components because this could be a game changer.
[EDIT] Events like this remind me of just how volatile these fuels are.
I deduce that by examining consecutive frames and using the ( incidental, but very helpful ) lens flare to pinpoint that.
You notice the first single fragment exiting frame in top RH corner. LOX plus i guess something metallic makes the first flash and then a bummer indeed.
I deduce that by examining consecutive frames and using the ( incidental, but very helpful ) lens flare to pinpoint that.
You notice the first single fragment exiting frame in top RH corner.
I think that's a bird flying by in the back/foreground going horizontally to the left.
Quote:
LOX plus i guess something metallic makes the first flash and then a bummer indeed.
Yup. My money's on static discharge. If the oxygen density is high enough then even atmospheric nitrogen will burn ie. oxygen is a bomb in nearly any company, so to speak. What's worse is even a tiny amount of ozone production which is even more reactive.
Bummer.
( edit ) You can produce static charge, and also in this case ozone, by fast flow through a tube eg. the flush outlet.
( edit ) Oh sorry, I see the piece you mean now. Just at the right margin of the fireball.
( edit ) The other clue is that the ( first ) fireball is initially oblong vertically, with flame spreading up/down along the surface of the skin. If it was triggered internally the shape would be oblong horizontally which you do see slightly later when the second stage tanks blow up.
( edit ) We know SpaceX has been producing high frame rate footage, so let's hope they have some which is relevant here.
I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...
... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal
Another
)
Another RUD
local news is also reporting
)
Local news is also reporting the explosion at the SpaceX launch pad during test firing scenario. [EDIT] one single explosion followed by multiple smaller explosions.[/EDIT] Video is showing trailing smoke from the base of the strombeck. I am hoping there was no loss of life. Useless to guess at the cause. Just have to wait.
Launcher and payload both
)
Launcher and payload both lost. I suspect repair requirements for the pad facilities may be considerable.
This is quite bad.
[edit: SpaceX themselves have said there were no injuries. Their brief statement asserts that the event occurred during preparation for the static firing.}
Oh my :(That was really
)
Oh my :(
That was really quite thorough :(
Me too
Please wait here. Further instructions could pile up at any time. Thank you.
A SpaceX update reads:
)
A SpaceX update reads:
The USLaunchReport folks have
)
The USLaunchReport folks have posted a high-definition video shot from pretty close by.
The initial event is right about time 1:10 on the video, and seems to center a little below the join point between the second stage and the payload, and a bit to the right of center. While there are multiple secondary explosions, the big secondary about time 1:26 appears to coincide with the impact at ground level of the payload. (apparently it carried a lot of hydrazine, for some combination of orbital insertion and station-keeping purposes).
You may need to adjust the settings on your viewer, but this is available up to 1080p60 and shows quite a bit of detail.
They just ran the video on a
)
They just ran the video on a local channel. From the video it looks like it occurred "at the top of the first stage" connect. I do not know if they recycle the 1st stage tube, and internal tanks or if the internal tanks are replaced. At this point who knows where the failure occurred. I hope this is not due to metal fatique in recycled components because this could be a game changer.
[EDIT] Events like this remind me of just how volatile these fuels are.
Jeez Louise. You're not gunna
)
Cripes ! You're not gunna believe this : the point of ignition was outside of the vehicle where the second stage LOX feed attaches :
I deduce that by examining consecutive frames and using the ( usually incidental, but here very helpful ) lens flare to pinpoint that.
Aaaaww ..... shooot ...
Drats, Mike.
I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...
... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal
Mike Hewson wrote:I deduce
)
You notice the first single fragment exiting frame in top RH corner. LOX plus i guess something metallic makes the first flash and then a bummer indeed.
AgentB wrote:Mike Hewson
)
I think that's a bird flying by in the back/foreground going horizontally to the left.
Yup. My money's on static discharge. If the oxygen density is high enough then even atmospheric nitrogen will burn ie. oxygen is a bomb in nearly any company, so to speak. What's worse is even a tiny amount of ozone production which is even more reactive.
Bummer.
( edit ) You can produce static charge, and also in this case ozone, by fast flow through a tube eg. the flush outlet.
( edit ) Oh sorry, I see the piece you mean now. Just at the right margin of the fireball.
( edit ) The other clue is that the ( first ) fireball is initially oblong vertically, with flame spreading up/down along the surface of the skin. If it was triggered internally the shape would be oblong horizontally which you do see slightly later when the second stage tanks blow up.
( edit ) We know SpaceX has been producing high frame rate footage, so let's hope they have some which is relevant here.
I have made this letter longer than usual because I lack the time to make it shorter ...
... and my other CPU is a Ryzen 5950X :-) Blaise Pascal