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Orbital Sciences Antares rocket explodes after liftoff

nasa.gov

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Re: Orbital Sciences Antares rocket explodes after liftoff

#31

Post by trothamel »

The first stage engines that exploded were AJ-26 engines. These are remanufactured NK-33 or NK-43 engines built in the Soviet Union in the late-60s or early-70s for the N-1 moon rocket, but never used.

In May, an AJ-26 exploded on the test stand at Stennis space center in Mississippi, severely damaging the test stand.

Re: Orbital Sciences Antares rocket explodes after liftoff

#35

Post by ericcumbee »

MichaelAO wrote: post #29
ericcumbee wrote: post #12

They are securing the vehicle because it has sensitive crypto equipment on board.

I also heard that comment. Does anyone have insight into what 'crypto equipment' might entail?

I know the Shuttle carried DOD Secure comm equipment in addition to it's in the clear UHF and VHF Radios. I'm assuming that ISS has something similar.

Re: Orbital Sciences Antares rocket explodes after liftoff

#36

Post by dragonwriter »

ericcumbee wrote: post #35
MichaelAO wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I also heard that comment. Does anyone have insight into what 'crypto equipment' might entail?

I know the Shuttle carried DOD Secure comm equipment in addition to it's in the clear UHF and VHF Radios. I'm assuming that ISS has something similar.

> I know the Shuttle carried DOD Secure comm equipment in addition to it's in the clear UHF and VHF Radios. I'm assuming that ISS has something similar.

There's some obvious reasons why the International Space Station might be less likely to carry sensitive US military communications gear than the NASA Space Shuttles.

Re: Orbital Sciences Antares rocket explodes after liftoff

#37

Post by codezero »

This is a bummer, I hate to see stuff like this happen. The payload in this rocket was the heaviest that has been included in an Antares launch, I doubt this had anything to do with the failure, but hopefully we'll find out.

Rocket science is hard, after all.

In the video, there are several pieces of debris that fly off and spin in a helical motion, I wonder what those bits are!

Re: Orbital Sciences Antares rocket explodes after liftoff

#38

Post by throwaway5752 »

blhack wrote: post #20
foobarqux wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Don't fret the failures. Except when it kills people (though this accident didn't).

Fair point. Although I'd say: fret the suffering of people, not the fact that something really difficult ended up being difficult.

Not to slight your friend, but his was an unmanned launch to resupply the ISS, it's relatively common, comparatively easy, and successful (1 other failure in just under 80 missions).

No disrespect intended, but this is a disruption for the ISS, a loss (hopefully insured) for Planetary Resources, a real setback for Orbital... there's no point in sugar coating anything, it sucks. There's just no point in dwelling on it, either. RCA and move forward.

Re: Orbital Sciences Antares rocket explodes after liftoff

#39

Post by baq »

ericcumbee wrote: post #27
jwise0 wrote: post #3

There aren't many blogs covering this right now, but there are no personnel injured (according to the launch loop) -- just "significant property damage and significant vehicle damage". Nobody has said much yet: https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/52722568241456742...

Rockets don't explode they experience "Anomalies"

the technical term seems to be 'rapid unscheduled disassembly'

Re: Orbital Sciences Antares rocket explodes after liftoff

#40

Post by jsmthrowaway »

jwise0 wrote: post #3

There aren't many blogs covering this right now, but there are no personnel injured (according to the launch loop) -- just "significant property damage and significant vehicle damage". Nobody has said much yet: https://twitter.com/OrbitalSciences/status/52722568241456742...

Under Orbital's license for this launch, LLO 14-091, they were required to take out more than $110 million in insurance for liability and government property. The portion of the insurance specific to U.S. government property is $45 million.

So, that'll be paying out.

http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast...

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