Discussion
buggerI agree the coverage was poor but a lot of people poured heart and soul (along with years of work) into the launcher and the lost satellites.
I respect and admire the efforts of all those involved.
Space isn't easy so I prefer to cut them some slack rather than revel in the failure.
The Russians and the Americans didn't have easy journeys into space when they started out either.
I respect and admire the efforts of all those involved.
Space isn't easy so I prefer to cut them some slack rather than revel in the failure.
The Russians and the Americans didn't have easy journeys into space when they started out either.
Rocket launch failures are not that unusual, especially when a rocket is still early in its development life. So far they have had two failures out of six launches - which is not that bad for this stage in their operations.
It looks like there was failure in the second stage. In other words, it didn't develop sufficient thrust to increase the velocioty to 17,500 mph whioch is what is required to place an object in low earth orbit.
Claims that this is somehow an "amateur" operations are crass and ignorant.
It looks like there was failure in the second stage. In other words, it didn't develop sufficient thrust to increase the velocioty to 17,500 mph whioch is what is required to place an object in low earth orbit.
Claims that this is somehow an "amateur" operations are crass and ignorant.
Eric Mc said:
Rocket launch failures are not that unusual, especially when a rocket is still early in its development life. So far they have had two failures out of six launches - which is not that bad for this stage in their operations.
It looks like there was failure in the second stage. In other words, it didn't develop sufficient thrust to increase the velocioty to 17,500 mph whioch is what is required to place an object in low earth orbit.
Claims that this is somehow an "amateur" operations are crass and ignorant.
No Eric they aren’t. It IS an amateur operation they are running and on, at best, a luke warm budget. I’m sure you know best though.It looks like there was failure in the second stage. In other words, it didn't develop sufficient thrust to increase the velocioty to 17,500 mph whioch is what is required to place an object in low earth orbit.
Claims that this is somehow an "amateur" operations are crass and ignorant.
Eric Mc said:
Rocket launch failures are not that unusual, especially when a rocket is still early in its development life. So far they have had two failures out of six launches - which is not that bad for this stage in their operations.
It looks like there was failure in the second stage. In other words, it didn't develop sufficient thrust to increase the velocioty to 17,500 mph whioch is what is required to place an object in low earth orbit.
Claims that this is somehow an "amateur" operations are crass and ignorant.
Agreed.It looks like there was failure in the second stage. In other words, it didn't develop sufficient thrust to increase the velocioty to 17,500 mph whioch is what is required to place an object in low earth orbit.
Claims that this is somehow an "amateur" operations are crass and ignorant.
Boo, disappointing to see the first Western Europe launch fail. My current research focus is control technology for free space optics used on inter-space links for LEO and VLEO satellites. We've been working with some of the satellite vendors who were part of the payload - which included ESA GPS, TUATARA / ETCO imaging, IoT/M2M comms, ionosphere monitoring and some UK military hardware. Most (if not all) of the satellites will be insured but it won't cover the full development cost and it will delay various projects that build on the capabilities these new satellites nodes would have provided.
It’s depressing that even in the science subforum, there is a number of people doing the usual scoffing and sneering thing after someone tries to do something very hard, but not quite pulling it off. I’d put good money on most if not all of them never having even tried to do anything remotely of this level of difficulty.
When you do something that doesn’t quite work, you learn from your mistakes and try again. On that basis, failures like this are still useful work.
When you do something that doesn’t quite work, you learn from your mistakes and try again. On that basis, failures like this are still useful work.
Eric Mc said:
I'm sure it's very disappointing. However, onwards and upwards (hopefully).
It's embarrassing when you can't get it up. Especially when performing to a global audience. One can only imagine. (5 was my largest audience, but that is story I am not recounting.)Innuendos aside, it's a great shame, but I hope the problems can be ironed out and the program move forward. If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. I think it's a critically important thing for the UK to be participating in, along with the other international space efforts.
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