The Antares rocket = REALLY expensive grenade

[BLOWN PONY]

So the Antares rocket that was supposed to resupply the space station just grenaded seconds after take off. So far looks like no one was hurt.


Derek/Jim... Any ideas?


For anyone who would like to watch a live feed of the launch site...

http://www.space.com/17933-nasa-television-webcasts-live-space-tv.html

^^^ This link also has a video of the explosion.

 

[BLOWN PONY]

Derek... I see you lurking...

 

[astrodudepsu]

LOL I was watching it live.

Sadly, Orbital has a bit of a reputation for this sort of thing in the industry. The company I used to work for was a spin-off of Orbital, so I've got a good handle on all the history /dirty laundry.

Thankfully no one was hurt, but this will prompt a minimum ~6 month hold/investigation of the Antares platform. I doubt Orbital will be able to complete their Commercial Resupply contract now on time.

I'm sure Musk and the SpaceX guys are as happy as you can be in this situation.


My gut dropped when I was watching it. In this industry it's always terrible to see a failure like this.

 

[Machdup1]

I was actually planning on going to this launch and couldn't make it because of work. Just glad it was unmanned.

 

[thomas91169]

Well, that blows.

 

[astrodudepsu]

I was actually planning on going to this launch and couldn't make it because of work. Just glad it was unmanned.

Would have been one hell of a show up close.

 

[coposrv]

That looks like an expensive light show.

 

[RedRocketMike]

Should have launched it on july 4th

 

[oldmodman]

I looked at the launch in slo-mo and it appears to have started in the engine area. Maybe a blow thru in the turbine pump. I'll be waiting for the analysis to be published.

 

[astrodudepsu]

Stock has fallen about 20% in after hours trading.

Not gonna be a good say in Sterling tomorrow.

 

[Torchy]

Obviously didn't have a Boss intake..

 

[CobraRed01]

I liked how the NASA flight director just stopped talking when the stuff was about to hit the pavement. Like...uh oh. As I said in the original thread I posted on this topic earlier... someone is going to get yelled at for this one.

$$$$^^^^Smoke.

 

[zak88lx]

Just read this:

"NASA has a $1.9-billion contract with Dulles, Va.-based Orbital Sciences for eight flights to transport cargo from the newly built Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport."

Was this the first of eight contracted flights?

 

[James Snover]

Nozzle burn-through, I bet. Maybe it leaned out for a few thousandths of a second, temperatures and pressures spiked while the metal weakened, and boom! We need to figure out how to make the hot section components out of ceramics.

 

[CobraRed01]

I looked at the launch in slo-mo and it appears to have started in the engine area. Maybe a blow thru in the turbine pump. I'll be waiting for the analysis to be published.

A turbine pump failure was my first thought. The report will be interesting. Could be gremlins, though.

 

[MovingZen]

Missed the 1-2 shift.. kept the gas and clutch to the floor. The guy working the joy stick needs driver mod. Seriously tho, glad nobody was hurt.

 

[astrodudepsu]

Just read this:

"NASA has a $1.9-billion contract with Dulles, Va.-based Orbital Sciences for eight flights to transport cargo from the newly built Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport."

Was this the first of eight contracted flights?

No they've made 3-4 before this. However when something like this fails, they essentially have to completely shut down launch ops for a detailed failure analysis to make sure they understand what failed and how to fix it. This will greatly disrupt their already very "aggressive" launch schedule to meet the contract deadline.

 

[VerySneaky]

Stock has fallen about 20% in after hours trading.

Not gonna be a good say in Sterling tomorrow.

only 20%? It looked more like 100%, and then some collateral once it hit the ground.

 

[4u 2 nv]

Are there any pics of the launch pad and the damage?

i see some have speculated but is there a general idea where the issue was at this point?

 

[WireEater]

Russians blow'd it up.