Word broke early this morning (Eastern Time) that the very last operation of the Falcon 9 that had launched Crew-9 yesterday didn't go as it should have, and that SpaceX was halting Falcon 9 operations until they fully understood what happened. In a post to X timed at 12:20 ET, SpaceX said:
After today’s successful launch of Crew-9, Falcon 9’s second stage was disposed in the ocean as planned, but experienced an off-nominal deorbit burn. As a result, the second stage safely landed in the ocean, but outside of the targeted area.
We will resume launching after we better understand root cause
Unfortunately, that's the extent of what's known at the moment.
You might remember that SpaceX had an upper stage anomaly on a July 12 launch, that was from an upper stage relight to raise the orbit of the load Starlink satellites it was carrying and the resulting RUD ended up taking out the load of satellites because of their not achieving the desired orbit. After a gut-wrenching few minutes of troubleshooting, SpaceX identified the issue as "a crack in a sense line for a pressure sensor attached to the vehicle’s oxygen system. This line cracked due to fatigue caused by high loading from engine vibration and looseness in the clamp that normally constrains the line." They were back to flight in two weeks. (Now where did I leave that sarcasm font?)
One can't help but wonder if this is related.
It might be the stresses involved in multiple launches and landings that are starting to show up.
ReplyDeleteBut isn't Falcon 9 second stage used only once?
ReplyDeleteSo, rather than fatigue, or vibration induced, I would suspect something like grade of bolt, or which materials are secured to one another, and how they are fastened.
My own analogy is the use of plastic wire ties instead of adel clamps. The wire tie can induce abrasion or create a 'hard spot's, a zone of increased rigidity relative to elsewhere along the line.
DeleteI wonder if that exactitude of details will be known outside of Space X.
That is NOT to say Space X is careless.
DeleteFirst one - yes, the 2nd stage is a "one and done". The issue is almost certainly not a design flaw, unless they're continuously running programs to cut cost or "six sigma" or something and went "too far, too fast, too soon."
DeleteSomething like the grade of bolt issue you mention could be one of those issues with counterfeits that are everywhere in industry these days. They specify and buy a certain alloy and somewhere in the chain, someone cheats and mislabels them.
I am waiting for the FAA to ground Falcon 9 until whenever. It can be some more political harassment by the current junta.
ReplyDeleteThey won't. Right now SpaceX is the only American ride to the ISS, and we don't want to go with Roscosmos...
DeleteHowever, you can bet they'll bitch and moan.
And strand everyone on ISS. Play NASA against the FAA etc. Clint Eastwood made a career depicting such.
DeleteMy little shoulder mounted ethereal skeptic just whispered in my ear his hope that SpaceX is vigilant for saboteurs. A wide selection of likely parties, foreign and domestic....
ReplyDeleteSmart little skeptic you've got there.
DeleteSpaceX should check to ensure that none of their workers used to be Boeing DEI hires .
ReplyDeleteMaybe I'm unreasonably idealistic but I think simply having Boeing in their list of previous jobs would disqualify anyone applying to SpaceX. It's best to keep any trace of "old space" out.
DeleteJust for reference, nobody has ever used "unreasonably idealistic" to describe me.
Exceptions to every rule - Boeing lobyists are among the best. SpaceX should grab some.
DeleteSpeaking from experience, SpaceX is very picky about employing Boeing personnel.
DeleteSpaceX will find the problem, fix it, and be operational in two days. Three, tops - unless the Gubmint (FAA?) gets its sticky fingers in the pie. Again.
ReplyDelete