Sea Launch Failure Today
Published on Jan 30, 2007 at 5:47 pm.
2 Comments.
Filed under rockets, space businesses.
I am a strong proponent of private space ventures. This includes the private companies springing up to launch payloads into space. One such company that I’ve watched with interest for several years is Sea Launch. They have an interesting concept. Rather than building a costly launch facility somewhere on land, and then having to worry about neighbors and possible safety issues from potential launch malfunctions, they have converted an old offshore oil platform to serve as a mobile launch pad. This is particularly useful because the launch platform can be placed just about anywhere that you would want it to be. For geosynchronous satellites, you want to launch from as close to the equator as possible. Well, with a mobile platform, you can launch from right on the equator.
Sea Launch uses a Zenit 3SL launch vehicle, most of which is constructed in the Ukraine and Russia. Today’s payload was NSS-8, a Boeing built satellite for NES New Skies, of the Netherlands. This was to be the centerpiece of their communications network, offering a wide range of broadcast and internet services.
They had a live webcast of the launch a few minutes ago. I was watching as video was fed from the command and control ship a few miles from the launch platform. They were counting down, and then the main engines began to fire at 23:22 UT, just before the rocket was to have lifted off. Only, instead of the rocket rising majestically from the smoke around the launch pad, I saw this sickening sinking of the nose of the rocket. And then the entire launch pad was engulfed in flames. Then, the video cut off. A little while later, the announcer said, “It appears that there has been an anomaly during launch operations.” No kidding! The rocket blew up.
Sea Launch will now investigate to try to determine what went wrong. This is not normal for them. They have about two dozen launches, and a good record for putting satellites into orbit. Launching rockets is very difficult, and the least thing going wrong can cause loss of vehicle and payload. So, this does not mean that future customers have reason to worry. I am sure that “anomaly” is the right word, here. Their rockets don’t normally blow up.
-Astroprof
mobile - Uttaruk.com » Astroprof’s Page » Sea Launch Failure Today on February 2, 2007 at 2:59 pm: 1
[…] Original post by Astroprof’s Page and software by Elliott Back […]
Astroprof’s Page » Sea Launch to launch again on November 12, 2007 at 3:25 pm: 2
[…] Sea Launch has a very good track record, too, with 21 successful launches out of 24 attempts, dating back to 1999. However, they had a rather spectacular failure back on January 30, when their rocket exploded on the launch pad. I imagine that this was particularly embarrassing for them because it happened during a live webcast of the launch. I remember watching the launch live right before heading off to teach a class, only the launch didn’t work right. Instead of the rocket soaring into space, it collapsed into a giant fireball. Seconds later, the webcast cut to the Sea Launch logo. Naturally, within just a sort time, the whole event was posted to Youtube! I’ve got a link to it, here (just click on the picture): […]