posted 09-01-2016 08:26 AM               

From Jonathan McDowell on Twitter:

Very bad news - looks like the SpaceX Falcon 9 due for launch on Saturday may have exploded on the pad at Cape Canaveral a few minutes ago.

Falcon 9 set for launch Saturday with AMOS-6 comsat; booster hot fire was believed to be on tap; no word from SpaceX.

posted 09-01-2016 09:22 AM               

SpaceX can confirm that in preparation for today's static fire, there was an anomaly on the pad resulting in the loss of the vehicle and its payload. Per standard procedure, the pad was clear and there were no injuries.

posted 09-01-2016 09:48 AM               

At approximately 9:07 a.m. [EDT] this morning [Sept. 1] an explosion occurred at launch complex 40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Initial reports indicated that there were no causalities and has been no threat to public safety.

CCAFS Emergency Management is providing the initial on-scene response. Roadblocks will be set up in and around CCAFS, so we ask that you avoid the entrance to the Air Force Station until further notice. We will provide updates as they become available.

posted 09-01-2016 10:08 AM               

Here's [a pre-explosion] picture of Falcon 9 with Spacecom's Amos-6 telecommunications satellite on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

posted 09-01-2016 10:11 AM               

I'm excited to announce our first project to deliver internet from space. As part of our Internet.org efforts to connect the world, we're partnering with Eutelsat to launch a satellite into orbit that will connect millions of people.

Over the last year Facebook has been exploring ways to use aircraft and satellites to beam internet access down into communities from the sky. To connect people living in remote regions, traditional connectivity infrastructure is often difficult and inefficient, so we need to invent new technologies.

As part of our collaboration with Eutelsat, a new satellite called AMOS-6 is going to provide internet coverage to large parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. The AMOS-6 satellite is under construction now and will launch in 2016 into a geostationary orbit that will cover large parts of West, East and Southern Africa. We're going to work with local partners across these regions to help communities begin accessing internet services provided through satellite.

This is just one of the innovations we're working on to achieve our mission with Internet.org. Connectivity changes lives and communities. We're going to keep working to connect the entire world — even if that means looking beyond our planet.

As I'm here in Africa, I'm deeply disappointed to hear that SpaceX's launch failure destroyed our satellite that would have provided connectivity to so many entrepreneurs and everyone else across the continent.

Fortunately, we have developed other technologies like Aquila that will connect people as well. We remain committed to our mission of connecting everyone, and we will keep working until everyone has the opportunities this satellite would have provided.

posted 09-01-2016 12:10 PM               

Loss of Falcon vehicle today during propellant fill operation. Originated around upper stage oxygen tank. Cause still unknown. More soon.

At approximately 9:07 a.m. ET, during a standard pre-launch static fire test for the AMOS-6 mission, there was an anomaly at SpaceX's Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40 resulting in loss of the vehicle.

The anomaly originated around the upper stage oxygen tank and occurred during propellant loading of the vehicle. Per standard operating procedure, all personnel were clear of the pad and there were no injuries.

We are continuing to review the data to identify the root cause. Additional updates will be provided as they become available.

posted 09-01-2016 02:10 PM               

Update: Elon Musk addressed the Dragon abort scenario on Twitter:

This seems instant from a human perspective, but it really a fast fire, not an explosion. Dragon would have been fine.

posted 09-01-2016 05:30 PM               

We remain confident in our commercial partners and firmly stand behind the successful 21st century launch complex that NASA, other federal agencies, and U.S. commercial companies are building on Florida’s Space Coast. Today's incident — while it was not a NASA launch — is a reminder that spaceflight is an incredible challenge, but our partners learn from each success and setback.

The situation at the Cape is being evaluated, and it's too early to know whether the incident will affect the schedule for upcoming NASA-related SpaceX launches to the International Space Station. If there are SpaceX mission delays, other cargo spacecraft will be able to meet the station's cargo needs, and supplies and research investigations are at good levels.

The launch for NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission remains on track for Sept. 8. Initial assessments indicate the United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket and OSIRIS-REx spacecraft are healthy and secure in the Vertical Integration Facility at Space Launch Complex-41, which is 1.1 miles from SpaceX's launch pad where the incident occurred.

posted 09-02-2016 10:20 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by Headshot:
It will be interesting to find out how badly LC-40 was damaged and learn how long it will be out of service.

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Even before the explosion, which fortunately occurred without any injuries at Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral, SpaceX was already facing a tight schedule to meet its planned target of 18 launches for the year. The vehicle, which was to launch the Amos-6 communications satellite on Sept. 3, was to have been the ninth mission of this year and the 29th Falcon 9 launch overall. SpaceX’s busy year is currently scheduled to culminate in the Falcon Heavy demonstration flight, itself already delayed from late 2015...

Regardless of whether investigations unearth issues with the pad and pre-test propellant and vehicle preparations, rather than more fundamental concerns with the Falcon 9 design itself, the Sept. 1 event will likely delay SpaceX's launch cadence by weeks, if not months. The most immediate impacts will result from the investigation and the time taken to repair the damaged SLC-40 complex.

Given initial evidence from video alone, it would appear highly unlikely the site could be ready in time to support the planned launch of the SES 10 satellite in October, the first intended to reuse a Falcon 9 first stage for a second mission. Other launches are also planned from this pad, including the 10th operational cargo delivery mission for NASA to the International Space Station — currently scheduled for Nov. 11.

posted 09-02-2016 06:59 PM               

An effort to save time may have also contributed to the loss of the payload on this Falcon 9, the Amos-6 communications satellite. Falcon 9 static fire tests in the past have not always included the satellite payload, waiting instead to install the satellite after the test, but now payloads are more commonly installed on the rocket prior to the test. Doing so, industry sources say, cuts a day from launch processing schedules.

The pad explosion also raises questions of what constitutes a “launch failure.” While both the rocket and payload were lost in the accident, the explosion took place during preparations for a test, rather than the launch itself, and before the main engines ignited. In a non-scientific poll of SpaceNews readers, nearly 55 percent believed the incident should be classified as a launch failure as of late Sept. 2.

That definition is more than just an intellectual curiosity. Because the explosion took place before the “intentional ignition” of the Falcon 9, the loss of the satellite is not covered by launch insurance. Spacecom, the satellite’s owner, did have a separate insurance policy on the satellite to cover pre-launch activities.

posted 09-02-2016 07:42 PM               

Below are updates regarding the anomaly that occurred in preparation for the AMOS-6 mission:

SpaceX has begun the careful and deliberate process of understanding the causes and fixes for yesterday's incident. We will continue to provide regular updates on our progress and findings, to the fullest extent we can share publicly.

We deeply regret the loss of AMOS-6, and safely and reliably returning to flight to meet the demands of our customers is our chief priority. SpaceX's business is robust, with approximately 70 missions on our manifest worth over $10 billion. In the aftermath of yesterday's events, we are grateful for the continued support and unwavering confidence that our commercial customers as well as NASA and the United States Air Force have placed in us.

Overview of the incident:

• Yesterday, at SpaceX's Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, an anomaly took place about eight minutes in advance of a scheduled test firing of a Falcon 9 rocket.

• The anomaly on the pad resulted in the loss of the vehicle.

• This was part of a standard pre-launch static fire to demonstrate the health of the vehicle prior to an eventual launch.

• At the time of the loss, the launch vehicle was vertical and in the process of being fueled for the test. At this time, the data indicates the anomaly originated around the upper stage liquid oxygen tank. Per standard operating procedure, all personnel were clear of the pad. There were no injuries.

To identify the root cause of the anomaly, SpaceX began its investigation immediately after the loss, consistent with accident investigation plans prepared for such a contingency. These plans include the preservation of all possible evidence and the assembly of an Accident Investigation Team, with oversight by the Federal Aviation Administration and participation by NASA, the United States Air Force and other industry experts.

We are currently in the early process of reviewing approximately 3000 channels of telemetry and video data covering a time period of just 35-55 milliseconds.

As for the Launch Pad itself, our teams are now investigating the status of SLC-40. The pad clearly incurred damage, but the scope has yet to be fully determined. We will share more data as it becomes available.

SpaceX currently operates three launch pads – two in Florida and one in California at Vandenberg Air Force Base. SpaceX's other launch sites were not affected by yesterday's events. Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Air Force Base is in the final stages of an operational upgrade and Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center remains on schedule to be operational in November. Both pads are capable of supporting Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches. We are confident the two launch pads can support our return to flight and fulfill our upcoming manifest needs.

Again, our number one priority is to safely and reliably return to flight for our customers, as well as to take all the necessary steps to ensure the highest possible levels of safety for future crewed missions with the Falcon 9. We will carefully and thoroughly investigate and address this issue.

posted 09-05-2016 07:52 PM               

Amos-6 was to replace your aging Amos-2 satellite. At what point will it need to be put into an orbit so inclined, to save fuel, that the current customers need to leave?

Our most important customers on Amos-2 will start feeling the effects of inclination in about half a year. We plan to find other solutions this year, meaning in 2016. If we need another month or two, we have it. But the target for me is to do everything that we can before the end of this year.

posted 09-06-2016 07:42 AM               

quote:

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Originally posted by CMikeW:
Looks like the bottom line for Spacecom is that they make 50 million on the loss of the satellite.

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posted 09-09-2016 07:27 AM               

Still working on the Falcon fireball investigation. Turning out to be the most difficult and complex failure we have ever had in 14 years.

Important to note that this happened during a routine filling operation. Engines were not on and there was no apparent heat source.

Support and advice from NASA, FAA, AFPAA and others much appreciated. Please email any recordings of the event to report@spacex.com.

Particularly trying to understand the quieter bang sound a few seconds before the fireball goes off. May come from rocket or something else.

There are some videos on YouTube claiming something hit the rocket. Any reality there?

We have not ruled that out.

posted 09-09-2016 11:27 AM               

If history is any guide, Elon Musk's SpaceX could be grounded for nine to 12 months while it investigates the cause of last week's launch pad accident and makes any repairs, according to the chief executive of SpaceX's primary U.S. competitor on Thursday.

"It typically takes nine to 12 months for people to return to flight. That's what the history is," Tory Bruno, chief executive of United Launch Alliance, told Reuters. Bruno did not mention SpaceX by name.

posted 09-10-2016 10:07 PM               

While you might think our immediate concern was the fires on the pad and their sources, my civil engineer representative informed me that during the explosion, the deluge system had been damaged and most of the water was being shot up into the air rather than being dispersed across the pad as designed. The SpaceX rep informed me that while the deluge wasn’t functioning optimally it was still helping to suppress the fire somewhat. That was fine except for one thing -- our 1.2 million gallon tank was being depleted at a rapid rate and there was no way to refill the tanks fast enough to sustain the output. If the tanks ran dry then the motors to the pumps would burn up, which would render the deluge system inoperable for other launch pads meaning our upcoming ULA launch might then be in danger.

...no sooner had we accomplished the securing of the pumps when I was approached by another one of our range users who explained they were losing pressure on the chillers at a neighboring launch complex. Without those chillers the spacecraft for the next launch would be lost. Needless to say at this point I had to reestablish our priorities and get a team working on a way to get our IRT into Space Launch Complex 41 to allow access for technicians to enter in order to make the necessary repairs.

As we were reviewing the plan, word came in from Pad 41 that all of the pressures were lost and technicians had to get to the spacecraft immediately. This is a situation when good working relationships with our counterparts at Kennedy Space Center came into play. We were able to coordinate with the KSC EOC for access through their roadblocks and get the required support to the spacecraft in plenty of time to not only save the spacecraft, but to keep the planned launch on schedule.