Cygnus CRS3 launch failure
Discussion
Tonights launch of a Cygnus to the ISS failed, with the vehicle exploding shortly after liftoff 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S4QfzryTRU&fe...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8S4QfzryTRU&fe...
Sadly I'm seeing a lot of derogatory comments online about the source of the engines - like no US made rocket engine has ever failed
No-one FORCED Orbital to use engines sourced from the former USSR ( or ULA in the Atlas V ), they were simply the best engines available at the time the vehicle was designed, and well ahead of any US designed rocket available in terms of efficiency and performance
No-one FORCED Orbital to use engines sourced from the former USSR ( or ULA in the Atlas V ), they were simply the best engines available at the time the vehicle was designed, and well ahead of any US designed rocket available in terms of efficiency and performance
Atlas V launch at 17:21 today, using ( different ) Russian engines
http://spaceflightnow.com/2014/10/28/av050-mission...
http://spaceflightnow.com/2014/10/28/av050-mission...
for that The U.S. Air Force's 45th Space Wing has issued a statement saying engineers conducted an overnight review of components used by the Atlas 5 rocket and the Antares launcher that disintegrated in a fireball seconds after liftoff Tuesday.
"Following the launch failure of the Antares at Wallops Flight Facility last night, the 45th Space Wing and the launch team evaluated the Atlas 5 launch vehicle for common components with the failed Antares launch vehicle," the Air Force said in a statement.
"Based on this evaluation the 45th Space Wing and the launch team have determined that these common components do not introduce any additional risk to the success of the Atlas 5 GPS mission."
"Following the launch failure of the Antares at Wallops Flight Facility last night, the 45th Space Wing and the launch team evaluated the Atlas 5 launch vehicle for common components with the failed Antares launch vehicle," the Air Force said in a statement.
"Based on this evaluation the 45th Space Wing and the launch team have determined that these common components do not introduce any additional risk to the success of the Atlas 5 GPS mission."
jingars said:
ULA video streaming of the Atlas V launch of their GPS IIF-8 satellite is due to start at 17:00 UK time via their website - can't see any updates on the weather, which was put at 70% favourable for launch earlier in the day.
Be warned - the announcer with the REALLY annoying way of speaking seems to be on duty today 
Closeup remote camera images of the explosion released http://www.americaspace.com/?p=71970
A bit off topic but thought folk might like this .....
The salvage operation to recover the crashed space shuttle Challenger cost the US navy about $13 million......Ironically. .while they were searching for it, they found a floating duffle bag with $13millon worth of high quality cocaine...which would have paid for the entire operation
The salvage operation to recover the crashed space shuttle Challenger cost the US navy about $13 million......Ironically. .while they were searching for it, they found a floating duffle bag with $13millon worth of high quality cocaine...which would have paid for the entire operation
After all the slagging off of the Russian engines, it seems the problem may not have been an engine failure but debris left in the fuel tank
"Last October's explosion of Orbital ATK Inc's Antares rocket may have been triggered when debris inadvertently left in a fuel tank traveled into the booster's main engine, two people familiar with investigations into the accident told Reuters. The sources said the preliminary findings suggest that a simple assembly mistake by Orbital ATK could have caused the explosion, which destroyed a cargo ship bound for the International Space Station."
There also seems to be an ongoing argument regarding paying for repairs to the launch site - seems the site owner decided to 'self insure'
"Last October's explosion of Orbital ATK Inc's Antares rocket may have been triggered when debris inadvertently left in a fuel tank traveled into the booster's main engine, two people familiar with investigations into the accident told Reuters. The sources said the preliminary findings suggest that a simple assembly mistake by Orbital ATK could have caused the explosion, which destroyed a cargo ship bound for the International Space Station."
There also seems to be an ongoing argument regarding paying for repairs to the launch site - seems the site owner decided to 'self insure'
Seems there's some finger pointing going on - Orbital blaming worn bearings in the engine, which in turn the engine supplier is blaming on debris
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/orbital-says-...
http://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/orbital-says-...
Yes Eric - I think the political climate with Russia has certainly influenced their choice of engine for the new launcher. From ULA's perspective moving to the Vulcan will also reduce costs - currently they have two production lines for different launchers which overlap in performance and thus compete with each other ( Atlas and Delta ).
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