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from the going-for-a-lack-of-boom-this-time-around dept.
SpaceX says:
We are finalizing the investigation into our September 1 anomaly and are working to complete the final steps necessary to safely and reliably return to flight, now in early January with the launch of Iridium-1. This allows for additional time to close-out vehicle preparations and complete extended testing to help ensure the highest possible level of mission assurance prior to launch.
This may be optimistic:
"They have not completed their investigation and therefore they do not have an (FAA launch) license," said an FAA spokesperson. The FAA said the time it would take to grant a license to SpaceX depends on how big a fix they propose to address the cause of the fire; SpaceX has previously said they believe the problem lies with helium in the liquid oxygen propellant tank. The accident occurred two days before the flight's scheduled liftoff.
Also at Reuters and Space.com.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday December 08 2016, @11:56PM
I wonder if the recovered boosters are a useful resource for resolving this issue.
Perhaps looking inside a recovered tank will provide a clue.
Perhaps they could use one of the boosters as a test unit for multiple fuel and de-fuel cycles.