Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion

From	Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address>
Newsgroups	sci.space.policy
Subject	Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion
Date	2016-10-19 11:57 +1100
Message-ID	<e6nuoaFofqiU1@mid.individual.net> (permalink)
References	<f68b0c9gqe8jv5b253q9ig2tavb90068iv@4ax.com> <e6lsg2F944hU1@mid.individual.net> <MPG.326fe03ba0ec36e0989847@news.eternal-september.org>

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On 18/10/2016 11:31 PM, Jeff Findley wrote:
> In article <e6lsg2F944hU1@mid.individual.net>,
> sylvia@not.at.this.address says...
>>
>> On 18/10/2016 3:23 PM, Fred J. McCall wrote:
>>> While they haven't confirmed it as the cause yet, the current leading
>>> candidate for the cause of the explosion is SOLID oxygen forming in
>>> the composite overwrapped pressure vessel that helium is stored in.
>>>
>>> This is how it would work.  For this flight SpaceX was apparently
>>> trying to increase the degree of super-cryo chilling on the liquid
>>> oxygen, so they were pumping it even colder than normal (close to
>>> freezing point).  Some of the super-chilled LOX could have gotten into
>>> the COPV and then frozen.  As tank pressure went up, the solid oxygen
>>> could not be squeezed back out of the overwrap and detonated with the
>>> carbon composite wrapping.  This breeched the helium pressurization
>>> tank, overpressuring the LOX tank and things go up from there.
>>>
>>> SpaceX has not confirmed that this is their leading theory (or even a
>>> theory).  It is being reported as something that came out of a private
>>> conversation with Musk and SpaceX says they have a policy of not
>>> commenting on private conversations by Musk.
>>>
>>> If that's really the problem, it makes a return to flight easier. Just
>>> revert to the 'normal' amount of chilling that they used on previous
>>> flights.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> Customers might be less than happy with the idea that their production
>> launch vehicle is being experimented on, though the contract may allow
>> for that.
>
> Sylvia, this quite often the case with SpaceX.  It's still a young
> company and is still optimizing Falcon 9.  Unfortunately, when you push
> the envelope like this, sometimes an "unknown unknown" bites you in the
> ass.
>

Still, its customers might reasonably expect their satellites to be 
launched on proven hardware, operated in the proven way, with 
experiments involved with innovation done on hardware that isn't 
launching an expensive satellite.

But we don't know what the contract says.

Sylvia.

Thread

Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-17 21:23 -0700
  Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address> - 2016-10-18 17:06 +1100
    Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-18 08:31 -0400
      Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Sylvia Else <sylvia@not.at.this.address> - 2016-10-19 11:57 +1100
        Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Rob <nomail@example.com> - 2016-10-19 13:48 +0000
  Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-18 03:46 -0400
    Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-18 08:36 -0400
      Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-19 01:29 -0400
        Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-19 06:23 -0400
          Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-19 13:08 -0400
            Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-19 16:24 -0400
              Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Alain Fournier <alain245@videotron.ca> - 2016-10-19 19:25 -0400
              Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-20 04:04 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-20 09:17 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-21 18:01 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Rick Jones <rick.jones2@hpe.com> - 2016-10-21 22:34 +0000
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-21 18:55 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-21 20:57 -0700
            Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-19 18:29 -0700
        Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-19 06:30 -0700
          Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-19 13:14 -0400
            Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-19 18:35 -0700
              Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-20 04:07 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-20 06:09 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-21 17:43 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-21 20:48 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-22 00:31 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-21 23:13 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Dr J R Stockton <reply1600@merlyn.demon.co.uk.invalid> - 2016-10-24 15:46 +0100
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-23 09:50 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-23 07:26 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-23 14:08 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-24 06:13 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-24 04:13 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-24 13:25 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-24 17:50 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-24 18:17 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-24 19:26 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-25 04:26 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-25 04:24 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-25 14:48 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-25 21:29 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-26 01:21 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-26 06:15 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-26 14:19 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-26 11:54 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-26 12:59 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-26 16:46 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Rick Jones <rick.jones2@hpe.com> - 2016-10-26 21:01 +0000
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-26 17:36 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-26 17:29 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-27 14:47 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-27 12:37 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-28 00:33 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-27 22:54 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-26 12:48 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Rick Jones <rick.jones2@hpe.com> - 2016-10-24 22:42 +0000
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-24 19:21 -0700
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-20 09:18 -0700
    Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-18 08:11 -0700
      Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-19 01:35 -0400
        Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-19 06:29 -0400
        Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-19 06:46 -0700
  Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-18 08:23 -0400
  Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion nj_kruse@me.com (Niels Jørgen Kruse) - 2016-10-18 20:04 +0200
    Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-18 20:27 -0700
      Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-19 01:38 -0400
        Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-19 07:13 -0400
        Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-19 07:07 -0700
          Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-19 13:18 -0400
            Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-19 16:11 -0400
            Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-19 18:43 -0700
              Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion JF Mezei <jfmezei.spamnot@vaxination.ca> - 2016-10-20 04:13 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Jeff Findley <jfindley@cinci.nospam.rr.com> - 2016-10-20 06:18 -0400
                Re: Latest candidate for SpaceX pad explosion Fred J. McCall <fjmccall@gmail.com> - 2016-10-20 09:23 -0700

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