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Unmanned SpaceX rocket explodes after Florida launch | Unmanned SpaceX rocket explodes after Florida launch |
(35 minutes later) | |
An unmanned American Falcon-9 rocket has broken apart in flames minutes after lifting off from Cape Canaveral in Florida. | An unmanned American Falcon-9 rocket has broken apart in flames minutes after lifting off from Cape Canaveral in Florida. |
Debris from the SpaceX vehicle tumbled out of the sky into the Atlantic Ocean. | Debris from the SpaceX vehicle tumbled out of the sky into the Atlantic Ocean. |
The rocket, which had 18 straight successes prior to Sunday's flight, was in the process of sending a cargo ship to the International Space Station. | The rocket, which had 18 straight successes prior to Sunday's flight, was in the process of sending a cargo ship to the International Space Station. |
The US space agency (Nasa) says important supplies have been lost but the orbiting lab's crew is secure. | The US space agency (Nasa) says important supplies have been lost but the orbiting lab's crew is secure. |
Even now, the three astronauts have sufficient stores of food, water and equipment to operate until late October, and there should be visits from Russian and Japanese freighters before then. | Even now, the three astronauts have sufficient stores of food, water and equipment to operate until late October, and there should be visits from Russian and Japanese freighters before then. |
The problem occurred 139 seconds into the flight, just before the first-stage of the rocket was about to separate from the upper-stage, or top segment of the Falcon-9. | The problem occurred 139 seconds into the flight, just before the first-stage of the rocket was about to separate from the upper-stage, or top segment of the Falcon-9. |
"The vehicle has broken up," said Nasa commentator George Diller, as TV images showed the white rocket falling to pieces. | "The vehicle has broken up," said Nasa commentator George Diller, as TV images showed the white rocket falling to pieces. |
"We appear to have had a launch vehicle failure," he added. | "We appear to have had a launch vehicle failure," he added. |
"There was an overpressure event in the upper-stage liquid oxygen tank," tweeted SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. | "There was an overpressure event in the upper-stage liquid oxygen tank," tweeted SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. |
"Data suggests counterintuitive cause. That's all we can say with confidence right now. Will have more to say following a thorough fault tree analysis." | "Data suggests counterintuitive cause. That's all we can say with confidence right now. Will have more to say following a thorough fault tree analysis." |
SpaceX will now lead an investigation, overseen by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and Nasa, which contracts the California company commercially to resupply the station. | SpaceX will now lead an investigation, overseen by the Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) and Nasa, which contracts the California company commercially to resupply the station. |
This means there will be no further Falcon-9 launches in the immediate future. | This means there will be no further Falcon-9 launches in the immediate future. |
"Once we identify the issues we will submit that documentation to the FAA and it will be considered prior to the next flight," said SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell. | "Once we identify the issues we will submit that documentation to the FAA and it will be considered prior to the next flight," said SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell. |
"I don't have a timeline for that right now. It certainly isn't going to be a year - (more likely) a month or so." | "I don't have a timeline for that right now. It certainly isn't going to be a year - (more likely) a month or so." |
Nasa had loaded the Dragon freighter on the top of the Falcon with just over two tonnes of supplies. | Nasa had loaded the Dragon freighter on the top of the Falcon with just over two tonnes of supplies. |
These included a new docking mechanism that will be needed when future astronaut vehicles - one of them based on the robotic Dragon itself - come into service later this decade. | These included a new docking mechanism that will be needed when future astronaut vehicles - one of them based on the robotic Dragon itself - come into service later this decade. |
The agency has a second mechanism that it will be sending up shortly, but it will now also have to build a third to replace the one lost in the Atlantic. | The agency has a second mechanism that it will be sending up shortly, but it will now also have to build a third to replace the one lost in the Atlantic. |
"I think this points out the challenges and difficulties we face in spaceflight," said Nasa's associate administrator for human spaceflight, Bill Gerstenmaier. | "I think this points out the challenges and difficulties we face in spaceflight," said Nasa's associate administrator for human spaceflight, Bill Gerstenmaier. |
"We are operating systems at the edge of their ability. This is a very demanding environment that requires tremendous precision and tremendous amounts of engineering skill - for hardware to perform exactly as it should." | |
Analysis: Jonathan Amos, BBC Science Correspondent | |
Rockets are tremendously complex machines and every so often, they fail. SpaceX has built a reputation for being smart and fleet of foot, and most people would expect them to bounce back from this disappointment pretty quickly. | Rockets are tremendously complex machines and every so often, they fail. SpaceX has built a reputation for being smart and fleet of foot, and most people would expect them to bounce back from this disappointment pretty quickly. |
But the mission failure does have consequences for the future running of the International Space Station. | But the mission failure does have consequences for the future running of the International Space Station. |
It was already running its supplies at less than optimal levels. This was a consequence of recent launch failures on two other freighter systems - the US Cygnus ship and the Russian Progress craft. | It was already running its supplies at less than optimal levels. This was a consequence of recent launch failures on two other freighter systems - the US Cygnus ship and the Russian Progress craft. |
Before today the stores on the ISS were good until October. The Russians will now have another go at re-stocking the ISS next Friday, and there will be an enormous amount riding on that flight as a result. | Before today the stores on the ISS were good until October. The Russians will now have another go at re-stocking the ISS next Friday, and there will be an enormous amount riding on that flight as a result. |
For the moment, the partner nations still plan to raise the current three-person crew to six in July. But they will surely keep that decision under review. | For the moment, the partner nations still plan to raise the current three-person crew to six in July. But they will surely keep that decision under review. |