Posted on 06/29/2015 2:49:04 PM PDT by BenLurkin
As of early Monday morning, founder Elon Musk tweeted, no cause had been determined after ”several thousand engineering-hours” of review, meaning more than 100 engineers were working to investigate the problem. Investigators were using software to recover the "final milliseconds" before the explosion, he tweeted.
Officials have said that all nine of the rocket’s engines had fired normally and that the rocket's trajectory was “right on target.”
The Dragon capsule, which contained the cargo, was “healthy” and sending data back for “some time” after the incident, officials said.
The rocket was about 28 miles above Earth when it broke up.
Shortly after the crash Sunday, Musk tweeted that there had been an “overpressure event in the upper stage liquid oxygen tank.”
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
My guess, it was easily avoidable and heads will roll.
Perhaps as simple as incorrect units of measure conversion, again. How many KM in a mile is that?
I think that the fuse burned down to the back of the rocket and it went KABOOM!
Telemetry continued through the event showing LOX overpressure spike on 2nd stage tank. Massive venting of lox captured on ground tracking video coming from just below the trunk adapter and second stage join point. Tracking video shows Dragon capsule on parallel track prior to final launcher disintegration.
Vehicle is traveling close to Mach 3 and well past the highest loading from punching a hole through the atmosphere. Was approaching the maximum G-loading as first stage runs empty close to 30 miles altitude.
Second stage engine was receiving cryogenic oxygen component-cooling per imminent staging procedure. Engine did “not” start causing loss of vehicle. A massive leak from the LOX tank of the second stage is evident.
Tank pressure is essential for structural strength of the vehicle body. Loss of pressure allows crumpling, like standing on an empty aluminum soda can. The capsule separated intact due to supporting structure failure. The atmospheric shock-wave loading, absent the capsule and fairing, collapsed and blasted apart the remaining vehicle structure.
Maybe if it was his money he would be more careful.
I haven't seen a good description yet of the tank overpressure event. If it was gradual, then the stuck relief value idea seems to make sense to me. If it was very sudden (you mentioned a spike), then there may have been an internal combustion event as with the Apollo 13 command module's LOX tank. Or perhaps the tank was suddenly deformed or crushed from some external force such as a structural failure of the upper stage body.
You are kind to remember and credit me. And, no, sadly I am neither as funny as Jeff Foxworthy nor as smart as a rocket scientist.
I also see you are a fellow veteran member here with a full 7 days of seniority over me. Dang!
overpressure event
Yeah. It blew up. We know that.
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I think there is a significant difference between the tank rupturing due to overpressure versus the tank exploding due to ignition of the fuel.
Insufficient gubermint subsidies....
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SpaceX has contracts with the government for launch services and achieving milestones. They aren’t subsidies.
Maybe if it was his money he would be more careful.
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Musk has invested a significant amount of his own money in the three companies where he’s either CEO or Chairman. Almost all of SpaceX’s money either comes from services rendered according to contract (not subsidies), or from investors.
Explaining the Space X CRS7 Launch Failure
21JUL2015
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i8hfpLNAIo
SpaceX Falcon 9 failure investigation focuses on COPV struts
http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/07/spacex-falcon-9-failure-investigation-focuses-update/
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