A highly - predict heavy - lift rocket was getting prepped for its inaugural flight when a spark triggered a fiery explosion at NASA ’s Alabama launch facility , potentially threatening next calendar month ’s rocket unveiling .
On Thursday , United Launch Alliance chief executive Tory Brunoshareda close feeling at the plosion that conduct place on March 29 at the mental testing stand at NASA ’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama . “ [ Hydrogen ] gather inside the stand . happen an ignition generator . Burned fast , ” Bruno tersely wrote on Twitter . “ Over pressure spelunk in our forward bonce and damage the rig . ”
Outside of the run rig/ stand up . Test clause is inner ( you ca n’t see it ) . Hydrogen leakage . H2 collect inside the rig . Found an firing source . burn tight . Over pressure caved in our advancing noggin and damage the rig.pic.twitter.com/0d0KpI1ggj
The CEO of ULA shared a video of the fireball on Twitter.Gif: ULA/Tory Bruno
— Tory Bruno ( @torybruno)April 13 , 2023
ULA had been pressurise the upper stage of the Vulcan rocket when the anomaly occurred . A spark conflagrate a important accumulation of hydrogen fuel , causing a monolithic human dynamo to sweep over the test rig . “ This is why we thoroughly & strictly exercise every possible precondition on the primer coat before flight . Investigation is afoot , ” Brunowroteon Twitter after the detonation . “ Vulcan will vanish when complete . ”
ULA ’s two - degree Vulcan Centaur rocket engine has been in development since 2014 and itsdebut was finally schedule on May 4following several delays . The Colorado - based troupe had in the beginning hoped to launch Vulcan in 2020 and then again in 2022 before adjudicate it was ready to pilot next calendar month . ULA was waiting on the livery of two BE-4 engines build by Jeff Bezos ’ Blue Origin , whichcame more than four years late .
The full expendable 202 - foot - tall ( 62 - meter ) skyrocket is set to supplant ULA ’s Atlas V and Delta IV rockets , which have been in use for the preceding two decade . The Vulcan Centaur is designed to revoke 27.2 metrical gross ton ( 60,000 pounds ) to low Earth orbit and 6.5 metric tons ( 14,300 pounds ) to geosynchronous orbit ( by comparison , SpaceX ’s Falcon 9 can carry 22.8 metrical tons to LEO . )
ULA was count on the success of its first charge in decree to schedule in another Vulcan launching later this year for Sierra Space ’s Dream Chaser mission . The company needs to discharge two Vulcan flight to get evidence to found U.S. military and word satellites for the Space Force . ULA isunder contractto deliver 35 mission for the U.S. Space Force in the next five old age . Vulcan is also reserve to launch more satellites for Amazon ’s Kuiper satellite labor .
For its inaugural mission , the rocket salad is set up to deliverAstrobotic ’s Peregrine lunar lander , which , on behalf of NASA , will set about to deliver 11 payloads to the lunar surface . Vulcan will also attempt to extradite thefirst two Amazon Kuiper internet satellitesto low Earth orbit , which are owned by Blue Origin ’s Bezos . So yeah , ULA needs this rocket off the ground , and rather rather than subsequently .
During his back and forth with Twitter users , Bruno reassured his followers that the monolithic ball of fire was n’t as bad as it look , and that only time will enjoin whether Vulcan ’s upper stage will be fit for liftoff .
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