SPACEX

Toroid

Founding Member
SpaceX Dragon capsule returns to earth. The thing looks like a damn marshmallow.
SpaceX completes a 'perfect' mission as Dragon lands in the Atlantic | Daily Mail Online
Dragon crew capsule detached from the ISS around 2:30am EST (7:30am GMT) after a five-day mission
  • It descending to Earth and made a landing exactly on time in the Atlantic Ocean 8:45am EST (1:45pm GMT)
  • Four red and white parachutes deployed from the nose cone perfectly to slow the Dragon capsule down
  • It was steadily slowed from hyper-sonic speeds upon re-entry until it dropped into the ocean without a bump
  • A recovery boat, dubbed GO searcher, was tasked with stabilising the spacecraft and bringing it to solid land
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nivek

As Above So Below
SpaceX Won’t Admit That Its Crew Capsule Exploded

There was almost certainly an explosion during a SpaceX test this weekend. Why does the company refuse to use that word?



Sometimes, when you fill a small metal capsule with rocket fuel, it will explode.

That’s what appears to have happened this past weekend when SpaceX attempted a static test of its Dragon 2 capsule. “Crew Dragon capsule explodes,” wrote Scientific American. Business Insider called it a “large explosion.” Quartz said that it “blew up.” There’s even a grainy video of the test that seems to show a fireball.

But SpaceX? The company called it an “anomaly.”

You’d never know what happened if you only read SpaceX’s prepared statement, which downplayed the apparent explosion as much as possible.

“Earlier today, SpaceX conducted a series of engine tests on a Crew Dragon test vehicle on our test stand at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The initial tests completed successfully but the final test resulted in an anomaly on the test stand. Ensuring that our systems meet rigorous safety standards and detecting anomalies like this prior to flight are the main reason why we test. Our teams are investigating and working closely with our NASA partners.”

SpaceX isn’t the only space agency to use “anomaly” to describe a spacecraft glitch. There are several instances where NASA has used the word to characterize launch problems or spacecraft communication issues. But we haven’t found an instance where NASA said “anomaly” when it meant “explosion” — in that regard, SpaceX stands alone. When something blows up, NASA says so.

Perhaps the problem that led to an explosion was an “anomaly”; it would be confusing if it was expected. But the explosion itself? Calling it anything but is a disservice.

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CasualBystander

Celestial
SpaceX Won’t Admit That Its Crew Capsule Exploded

There was almost certainly an explosion during a SpaceX test this weekend. Why does the company refuse to use that word?



Sometimes, when you fill a small metal capsule with rocket fuel, it will explode.

That’s what appears to have happened this past weekend when SpaceX attempted a static test of its Dragon 2 capsule. “Crew Dragon capsule explodes,” wrote Scientific American. Business Insider called it a “large explosion.” Quartz said that it “blew up.” There’s even a grainy video of the test that seems to show a fireball.

But SpaceX? The company called it an “anomaly.”

You’d never know what happened if you only read SpaceX’s prepared statement, which downplayed the apparent explosion as much as possible.

“Earlier today, SpaceX conducted a series of engine tests on a Crew Dragon test vehicle on our test stand at Landing Zone 1 in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The initial tests completed successfully but the final test resulted in an anomaly on the test stand. Ensuring that our systems meet rigorous safety standards and detecting anomalies like this prior to flight are the main reason why we test. Our teams are investigating and working closely with our NASA partners.”

SpaceX isn’t the only space agency to use “anomaly” to describe a spacecraft glitch. There are several instances where NASA has used the word to characterize launch problems or spacecraft communication issues. But we haven’t found an instance where NASA said “anomaly” when it meant “explosion” — in that regard, SpaceX stands alone. When something blows up, NASA says so.

Perhaps the problem that led to an explosion was an “anomaly”; it would be confusing if it was expected. But the explosion itself? Calling it anything but is a disservice.

.


Well, there is speculation that salt-water corrosion caused a tank failure.

This is the dragon capsule that landed in the water.

The propulsion system wouldn't be in the sealed area of the spacecraft.

Further - the fuel is hypergolic. It is both nasty and doesn't need an ignition source.

But it is stable for long periods of time.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
They finally admit the explosion took place, I guess they wanted to get all their ducks in a row before admitting there was a failed test...

Spaces confirms crew capsule destroyed in ground test
In a big blow for Elon Musk’s SpaceX, the company has confirmed its Dragon crew capsule was destroyed in ground testing.

SpaceX finally confirmed Thursday its crew capsule was destroyed in ground testing two weeks ago and conceded that the accident is “not great news” for the company’s effort to launch astronauts this year.

Hans Koenigsmann, a company vice president, told reporters it’s too soon to know what went wrong during the April 20 test or whether the crew Dragon capsule’s test flight in March - minus astronauts - contributed to the failure.

Flames engulfed the capsule a half-second before the launch-abort thrusters were to fire.

SpaceX still cannot access the testing area at Cape Canaveral for safety reasons, according to Koenigsmann. The company does not want to disturb any evidence that could provide clues to the failure, he noted.

The company has concluded, meanwhile, that the smaller, simpler cargo version of the Dragon capsule is safe to fly to the International Space Station. SpaceX was on track to launch a Falcon rocket with station supplies early Friday morning in the US, although approaching storms threatened yet another delay. Earlier in the week, the flight was postponed by a major power shortage at the space station.

An old power-switching unit failed Monday, slashing the space station’s power by 25 per cent and ruling out any deliveries. By Thursday, flight controllers had replaced the box and restored full power to the orbiting outpost.

Because the April 20 accident occurred so close to SpaceX’s landing site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, the booster for the cargo launch cannot return there following lift-off. Instead, the first-stage booster was aiming for a barge stationed about 12 miles offshore, much closer than usual.

The cargo and crew versions of the Dragon capsule are considerably different. The cargo Dragon does not have the SuperDraco thrusters that are embedded into the side of the crew Dragon. Those thrusters would be used to push a capsule off a just-launched rocket in an emergency. They weren’t used during the test flight to the space station in March.

Koenigsmann said he does not believe the thrusters themselves caused the accident. The system had been activated - which involves opening and closing valves, and pressurizing systems - when flames erupted.

SpaceX was going to launch the newly returned crew Dragon in another test this summer, to see how the SuperDraco thrusters work in an aborted flight. More crew Dragons are being built and can be used for this test, according to Koenigsmann.

Koenigsmann remains hopeful SpaceX can launch two NASA astronauts to the space station this year. The impact to the schedule will depend on the results of the accident investigation, he said.

NASA has contracted with SpaceX and also Boeing to ferry astronauts to and from the space station, instead of having them hitch expensive rides on Russian rockets.

Before the accident, SpaceX had been shooting for a summertime crew launch. “I don’t want to completely preclude the current schedule,” he said.

“It’s certainly not great news for the schedule overall, but I hope we can recover.” Koenigsmann said the company has been in touch with astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken - who will be on board for the crew Dragon’s next test flight to the space station - and that the two have offered encouragement and motivation. Boeing also has encountered recent delays with its Starliner crew capsules.

The company is striving to launch a Starliner without astronauts to the space station in August.

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Standingstones

Celestial
I often wonder if the US government "frowns" upon companies that want to privatize space travel. Perhaps the government would like nothing better than to see all these failed take offs.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
SpaceX Makes History

On Saturday afternoon SpaceX and NASA successfully launched a crew of American astronauts aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. There has not been a mission from the Kennedy Space Center to put people into space for almost ten years, since the end of the Space Shuttle program. The launch was also historic for SpaceX as it became the first private company to carry humans into orbit. The Dragon capsule will dock Sunday morning with the International Space Station. The astronauts will stay in space for at least six weeks but possibly up to four months.


 

Standingstones

Celestial
I find it very strange that it has been left to Elon Musk to send a rocket with individuals back into space. It makes me keep thinking that we already have a Space Force in place or something like that. The governments of this planet spend way too much money and pretend we don’t have some sort of extracurricular activities going on that they refuse to tell us about.
 

nivek

As Above So Below
Viral Video Shows 'Mouse' on SpaceX Rocket

A viewer watching this past weekend's successful SpaceX launch online spotted what he believed to be a mouse crawling along the rocket as it soared into space, but experts say the anomaly probably wasn't really a hitchhiking rodent. The weird moment was noticed by a Pennsylvania man who promptly captured the scene and posted it to his Twitter account. The clip captured the imagination of people on social media, quickly going viral and amassing over a million views.

In the video, a curious object can be seen seemingly scurrying around the base of the rocket as the man declares "I don't care what you say, that is a mouse!" As one might imagine, the presumably impossible presence of the creature on the craft has given rise to conspiracy theories that the entire launch was an elaborate hoax. However, space enthusiasts have a more down-to-Earth explanation for the strange scene. It turns out that the 'mouse' is almost certainly just a piece of frozen liquid oxygen that was vented out of the rocket engine during its journey to the ISS.


 

Captain Tinkle

Honorable
I may not like Elon Musk but seeing those landers touch down was impressive.

I do wonder how much he has to do with the creation of such tech though...
 

nivek

As Above So Below
 

Standingstones

Celestial
The comments I have seen from Musk seem to reflect that he wants his employees back to work at the Tesla factory, no if, and or buts.
 
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