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Fuel Leak, Fire Doomed Falcon 1 According to SpaceX Initial Analysis |
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EL SEGUNDO, CA, March 27, 2006/Satnews Daily — A fuel leak that triggered a fire around the top of Falcon 1’s main engine led to the destruction of Space Exploration Technologies’ (SpaceX) rocket on its maiden voyage last Friday.
A preliminary investigation conducted by SpaceX has concluded that at T+25s, a fuel leak of currently unknown origin caused a fire around the top of the main engine cutting into the first stage helium pneumatic system. “Once the pneumatic pressure decayed below a critical value, the spring return safety function of the pre-valves forced them closed, shutting down the main engine at T+29s,” SpaceX said on its website.
A high resolution imagery provided by SpaceX showed the fire clearly visible within seconds after liftoff.
On its inaugural flight on Friday at 5:30 p.m. EST (2230 GMT), Falcon 1 rocket tumbled out of control and slammed into the Pacific Ocean shortly after its liftoff from the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Site on Omelek Island near Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean’s Marshall Islands.
The company announced there will be a formal US Government-led anomaly investigation in partnership with SpaceX. It added the report issued by that team will be considered the official opinion.
SpaceX CEO and founder Elon Musk said despite the failure of the rocket, all the vehicle systems, including the main engine, thrust vector control, structures, avionics, software, guidance algorithm, etc. were picture perfect. “Falcon's trajectory was within 0.2 degrees of nominal during powered flight,” he said.
He added, “It does not appear as though the first stage insulation played a negative role, nor are any other vehicle anomalies apparent from either the telemetry or imaging. Falcon was executing perfectly on all fronts until fire impaired the first stage pneumatic system.”
He said the company plans to analyze data and debris to be certain that its preliminary analysis is correct and then isolate and address all possible causes for the fuel leak. He said they will do another ground up systems review of the entire vehicle to flush out any other potential issues.
“I cannot predict exactly when the next flight will take place, as that depends on the findings of this investigation and ensuring that our next customer is comfortable that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure reliability. However, I would hope that the next launch occurs in less than six months,” he said.
Despite the setback, Musk was hopeful and noted that only 5 of the first 9 Pegasus launches succeeded; 3 of 5 for Ariane; 9 of 20 for Atlas; 9 of 21 for Soyuz; and 9 of 18 for Proton. “Having experienced firsthand how hard it is to reach orbit, I have a lot of respect for those that persevered to produce the vehicles that are mainstays of space launch today,” he remarked.
He added he was encouraged and grateful that the company’s launch customers took the time to call and express their support of SpaceX when their reaction could easily have been the opposite.
“We will stand by them as they have stood by us. SpaceX is in this for the long haul and, come hell or high water, we are going to make this work,” he said.
SpaceX’s Falcon 1 Rocket Destroyed on its Maiden Flight SpaceX Sets Falcon 1 Maiden Flight on Friday Jim Maser to Join SpaceX as President and Chief Operating Officer |
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