SpaceX says it knows and knows about the problem that caused its Falcon 9 rocket to fail in a launch earlier this month.
That failure occurred on July 11, when a Falcon 9 was carrying 20 of SpaceX’s Starlink broadband satellites into low-Earth orbit. The rocket’s first tier operated normally that day, but its top tier leaked liquid oxygen, preventing it from launching into orbit as planned; Then the Starlink satellites deployed too low and returned to Earth quickly, burning up in our planet’s thick atmosphere.
The cause of the leak is no longer a mystery. This was due to “a crack in a detection line from a strain sensor connected to the vehicle’s oxygen system,” SpaceX announced in an update Thursday afternoon (July 25). “This line cracked due to the fatigue caused by the top load due to engine vibration and clamp clearance tensioning the line. “
The sole Merlin engine in the upper tier performed its first burn as planned on July 11, entering a coastal phase in an elliptical orbit as planned. But the leak prevented the engine from performing instantaneous combustion, designed to circle its orbit before the Starlink satellite. deployed, according to SpaceX’s anomaly investigation, overseen through the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The leak “caused excessive cooling of engine components, including those related to the engine’s ignition fluid supply,” the company wrote in a Thursday update. “As a result, the engine experienced a more complicated start than controlled combustion, which broke down the engine hardware and subsequently caused the upper level to lose attitude control. ”
The top tier was able to deploy all 20 satellites, but, as noted above, they did not stay in orbit for long.
SpaceX says it has taken steps to prevent a repeat of the anomaly.
“For near-term Falcon launches, the failed detection line and sensor on the momentum level engine will be removed,” corporate representatives wrote in the update.
“The sensor is not used through the flight protection formula and could be covered by the optional sensors already included in the engine,” they added. “The design upgrade was tested at SpaceX’s rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas, with improved research and qualification tracking. through the FAA and the participation of the SpaceX research team. Additional qualification review, inspection and cleaning of all detection lines and clamps in the active booster fleet led to proactive replacement at some locations. “
SpaceX submitted its report on the twist of fate to the FAA. In an article in X on Thursday afternoon, the company said it is “on track to temporarily resume flights starting Saturday, July 27. “
— SpaceX Falcon Nine rocket crashes at Starlink launch (video)
— FAA investigates failure of SpaceX’s nine Falcon rocket
– The occasional failure of a SpaceX rocket shows precisely why NASA has two advertising functions to send astronauts to the ISS.
The July 11 anomaly was SpaceX’s first flight failure since June 2015, when a Falcon 9 disrupted the release of a Dragon robot delivery capsule to the International Space Station. The twist of fate resulted in the loss of the Dragon.
However, a Falcon 9 exploded on the pre-flight test pad in September 2016. This anomaly also caused the loss of the rocket’s payload, the AMOS-6 communications satellite.
Join our forums to keep talking about the newest missions, the night sky, and more!And if you have any advice, corrections or comments, please let us know at: community@. com.
Michael Wall is a Senior Space Editor at Space. com and joined the team in 2010. It basically covers exoplanets, spaceflight, and military space, but it is known to go into the realm of space art. His book about the search for extraterrestrial life, “Out There,” was published on November 13, 2018. Prior to becoming a science writer, Michael worked as a herpetologist and wildlife biologist. He holds a Ph. D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Sydney, Australia, a B. A. from the University of Arizona, and a graduate certificate in clinical writing from the University of California, Santa Cruz. To find out what his most recent assignment is, you can follow Michael on Twitter.
On This Day in Space!August 7, 1976: A Day for Mars and NASA’s Viking Missions
Watch SpaceX Falcon nine rocket deliver sonic boom landing (video)
SpaceX Crew-9 astronaut mission: live updates
Space is from Future US Inc. , a leading foreign media organization and virtual publisher. Visit our corporate website.