unmanned NASA rocket explodes on launch

[Mermaidman]

It can't be worse than a Russian rocket explosion years back. They rocket did a U turn and slammed into the ground. Turns out the sensor to ensure it's upright was installed backwards.

Actually, the Orbital Sciences vehicle WAS using refurbished Russian rockets.

Company's stock price is falling like its rocket: http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=ORB,+&ql=0

 

[Ruptga]

Wow that sucks, but good thing it was unmanned!

It can't be worse than a Russian rocket explosion years back. They rocket did a U turn and slammed into the ground. Turns out the sensor to ensure it's upright was installed backwards.

I don't even know how many times I've done that in KSP.

 

[Paratus]

As folks have said this was orbital sciences rocket not actually NASAs. Although the cargo was NASAs the rocket wasn't. So the OP may want to fix his post.

Launching rockets is hard. A mistake by a commercial cargo vendor was bound to happen.

 

[Jeff7]

I assume you're not an engineer.

Catastrophic anomaly has a clear meaning versus "it blew up"

As folks have said this was orbital sciences rocket not actually NASAs. Although the cargo was NASAs the rocket wasn't. So the OP may want to fix his post.

Launching rockets is hard. A mistake by a commercial cargo vendor was bound to happen.

I like this way of putting it.




"We've got main engines at 108%....
It blew up.
Launching rockets is hard."




.

 

[uhohs]

everyone's busy giving credit to NASA

 

[Zorkorist]

I heard there might be a mishap.

Has anyone heard or seen anything else?

-John

 

[Ferzerp]

Oh the huge manatee.

Also. Starting the Elon Musk sabatage rumor now

 

[Belegost]

everyone's busy giving credit to NASA

Gotta love that.

Private company designs the rocket using Ukrainian and refurbished Russian stages. But it's totally a NASA rocket blowing up, just because NASA paid them to carry cargo.

<s>In related news a US military plane crashed. The Airbus plane operated by UPS was carrying Christmas packages to Marines. </s>

 

[Pocatello]

NASA doesn't know how to do things correctly anymore. A sad day for America.

 

[MiniDoom]

ha! my wife use to work for Orbital. They're fairly well known here in nova.

 

[BUTCH1]

As one looks back it's still an amazing feat that the Saturn 5 never had a failure despite it's enormous size and complexity, the first stage alone produced 7,600,000 lb of thrust using 5 F1 engines, the loss of any one's thrust would have left the vehicle barely able to move as the fully fueled rocket came in at a whopping 5,000,000 lbs.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

There were only a dozen Saturn 5 launches, so there isn't very many data points to work off of.

Also, technically one of the test Launches did have a engine failure. I don't remember which.

 

[eits]

<----- Explosions in the Sky

 

[K1052]

wow wonder how much money was just thrown away.

$200M-ish plus any pad damage. Relatively cheap as these things go.

 

[disappoint]

^^ This is the language we end up with when people think they shouldn't just say what happened. "It blew up" would be refreshing.

It go boom.

 

[Childs]

Can't help thinking this guy was involved:

 

[PowerYoga]

There were only a dozen Saturn 5 launches, so there isn't very many data points to work off of.

Also, technically one of the test Launches did have a engine failure. I don't remember which.

there were only a dozen antares rocket launches and they have a 50% failure rate. No matter how you look at it their track record is abysmal.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

there were only a dozen antares rocket launches and they have a 50% failure rate. No matter how you look at it their track record is abysmal.

According to the Wiki, there have been 5, of which one failed.

 

[PowerYoga]

According to the Wiki, there have been 5, of which one failed.

Can't find the source now because search results are gunked up with all the news, but I remember reading they had a bunch of test flights. 2 blew up, 1 had an engine failure on the launch pad which is the only source I can find atm. (http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/05/antares-aj-26-engine-fails-stennis-testing/)

 

[MrPickins]

As folks have said this was orbital sciences rocket not actually NASAs. Although the cargo was NASAs the rocket wasn't. So the OP may want to fix his post.

Launching rockets is hard. A mistake by a commercial cargo vendor was bound to happen.

This bears repeating. :thumbsup:

 

[rudder]

NASA doesn't know how to do things correctly anymore. A sad day for America.

NASA has contracted with Orbital Services to carry 44,000 pounds of supplies to the ISS. The contract was worth $1.9 billion.

This was not a NASA launch.

 

[lupi]

I loved the breaking news scroll saying there was a report of classified material on board.

 

[Printer Bandit]

NASA self destructed the rocket 6 seconds after launch.

 

[Ruptga]

NASA self destructed the rocket 6 seconds after launch.

Don't be ridiculous, that was flight 93.