RE: SpaceX's Falcon 9 Rocket Explodes After Launch
June 28, 2015 at 12:27 pm
(This post was last modified: June 28, 2015 at 12:28 pm by Anomalocaris.)
(June 28, 2015 at 11:21 am)Secular Elf Wrote: This just happened within the last hour. SpaceX, a private company, launched a rocket that was loaded with supplies and a docking module for the International Space Station. The supplies were not critical, as the Russians will be launching a new rocket they designed loaded with more supplies later this week.
This seems like a minor setback, but I wonder how much money was lost in both supplies and the cost of manufacturing that docking module (it was capable of handling docking of more than one space module). Two steps forward, one step back I guess.
Quote:The company, founded by billionaire PayPal founder Elon Musk, had tried twice before to guide the rocket, which is only in use for a few minutes following launch, back to a barge where it could be safely collected, but both prior attempts had ended in failure. Collecting the rocket after launch would have been a significant advance, but instead the company will be dealing with a signficant setback to its efforts to pioneer privatized space flight.
http://time.com/3939166/spacex-rocket-explode/
Unfortunately, I am not seeing the 2 steps forward. So far they have promised, but they have not actually demonstrate any capability which the Russians do not already do better and more reliably, with dated technology and much derided soviet bequeathed know how. All they have done is break minor beuracratic ground from NASA perspective using mostly as yet unfulfilled promises.
