{"id":19118,"date":"2017-01-02T20:18:48","date_gmt":"2017-01-02T12:18:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/spacex-traces-falcon-9-blast-to-failed-helium-tank-return-to-flight-set-for-jan-8\/"},"modified":"2017-01-02T20:18:48","modified_gmt":"2017-01-02T12:18:48","slug":"spacex-traces-falcon-9-blast-to-failed-helium-tank-return-to-flight-set-for-jan-8","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/spacex-traces-falcon-9-blast-to-failed-helium-tank-return-to-flight-set-for-jan-8\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX traces Falcon 9 blast to failed helium tank; return to flight set for Jan. 8"},"content":{"rendered":"<figure id=\"attachment_299729\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-299729\" style=\"width: 630px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full-width wp-image-299729\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/170102-vandenberg-spacex-630x430.jpg\" alt=\"SpaceX facility at Vandenberg\" width=\"630\" height=\"430\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/170102-vandenberg-spacex-630x430.jpg 630w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/170102-vandenberg-spacex-768x524.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.geekwire.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/170102-vandenberg-spacex-1240x846.jpg 1240w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px\"><figcaption data-nosnippet=\"\" id=\"caption-attachment-299729\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">SpaceX\u2019s return to flight is due to take place Jan. 8 at its launch facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. (SpaceX Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>SpaceX says an investigation has concluded that&nbsp;the Sept. 1 explosion of its Falcon 9 rocket occurred&nbsp;due to the failure of a helium pressure vessel, and it\u2019s taking steps to avoid the problem for its return to flight, set for Jan. 8.<\/p>\n<p>That launch will send 10 Iridium Next communication satellites into orbit from California\u2019s Vandenberg Air Force Base. Meanwhile, repairs are continuing at SpaceX\u2019s launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, where September\u2019s blow-up occurred during a pre-launch fueling test.<\/p>\n<p>The California-based launch company\u2019s founder, Elon Musk, had said previously that the supercooled helium tanks played a role in the accident, which led to the fiery loss of the rocket and its commercial Amos-6 satellite payload. Today\u2019s update adds lots more detail to that diagnosis, and explains what SpaceX is doing to address the issue.<\/p>\n<p>The investigation \u2013&nbsp;led by SpaceX but also involving experts from the Federal Aviation Administration, U.S. Air Force, NASA, the National Transportation Safety Board and elsewhere \u2013 checked readings&nbsp;from more than 3,000 channels of data, focusing on the 93 milliseconds between the first sign of an anomaly and the loss of the Falcon 9\u2019s second stage.<\/p>\n<p><iframe title=\"SpaceX - Static Fire Anomaly - AMOS-6 - 09-01-2016\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_BgJEXQkjNQ?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen=\"\" data-ratio=\"0.5625\" data-width=\"800\" data-height=\"450\" style=\"display: block; margin: 0px; width: 800px; height: 450px;\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>The analysis led investigators to focus on the composite-wrapped vessels that sit inside the second-stage liquid oxygen tank. Those vessels hold superchilled helium that helps maintain pressure in the oxygen tank.<\/p>\n<p>After reviewing the data and video of the blow-up, and checking the debris, the investigators concluded that liquid oxygen pooled up&nbsp;in a void or a buckle between a helium&nbsp;vessel\u2019s aluminum inner liner and the carbon composite layer wrapped over the aluminum.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen pressurized, oxygen pooled in this buckle can become trapped; in turn, breaking fibers or friction can ignite the oxygen in the overwrap,\u201d SpaceX explained in today\u2019s update.<\/p>\n<p>Investigators concluded that this is what caused the helium tank to fail, setting off a chain of events that resulted in the second-stage explosion. The helium was so cold that some of the liquid oxygen could have turned solid, increasing the likelihood of failure. SpaceX said it ran a variety of tests at its facilities in California and Texas to validate the investigation\u2019s findings.<\/p>\n<p>SpaceX came up with corrective actions that it said would address the credible causes in the short term as well as in the long term.<\/p>\n<p>In the short term, the company will go back to a tried-and-true, albeit slower, procedure for loading helium into the tanks at a warmer temperature. In the long term, SpaceX will change the design of the pressure tanks so that there are no buckles in which the liquid oxygen can pool. That should allow for faster&nbsp;helium loading procedures to be used again, SpaceX said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpaceX greatly appreciates the support of our customers and partners throughout this process, and we look forward to fulfilling our manifest in 2017 and beyond,\u201d the company said. SpaceX\u2019s next customer, Iridium, voiced its approval as well.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: absolute; visibility: hidden; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?creatorScreenName=b0yle&amp;dnt=true&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=815922460612763650&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.geekwire.com%2F2017%2Fspacex-falcon-failed-helium-tank-iridium-jan-8%2F&amp;sessionId=7b4926244e98394b21835d20f01f5fe5b83d0085&amp;siteScreenName=geekwire&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782803631652374337=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cIridium is pleased with SpaceX\u2019s announcement and targeted launch date of January 8 for the first #IridiumNEXT launch. #NEXTevolution https:\/\/t.co\/zWdkK8FrLG<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Iridium (@IridiumComm) January 2, 2017<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>There was no official word on whether the FAA had signed off on the investigation\u2019s findings or the Jan. 8 launch date, but the fact that SpaceX provided a detailed update today suggests that it\u2019s anticipating the FAA\u2019s approval.<\/p>\n<p>The months-long suspension of Falcon 9 launches had caused uncertainty for SpaceX\u2019s customers, and put a crimp in the privately held company\u2019s finances. SpaceX\u2019s next resupply mission to the International Space Station and its first reflight of a previously flown Falcon 9 booster are among the key launches that have been held up.<\/p>\n<p>The end of the investigation is also likely to clear the way for the first flight of SpaceX\u2019s Falcon Heavy, a heavy-lift rocket that\u2019s due to make its debut&nbsp;this year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>SpaceX\u2019s return to flight is due to take place Jan. 8 at its launch facility at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. (SpaceX Photo) SpaceX says an investigation has concluded that&nbsp;the Sept. 1 explosion of its Falcon 9 rocket occurred&nbsp;due to the failure of a helium pressure vessel, and it\u2019s taking steps to avoid the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[291,4434,530,316],"class_list":["post-19118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-commercial-space","tag-falcon-launch","tag-iridium","tag-spacex"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19118"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19118"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19118\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}