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ISS Resupply Rocket Explodes Shortly after Launch

posted by n1 on Wednesday October 29 2014, @11:05AM   Printer-friendly
from the very-expensive-fireworks dept.

Sir Finkus writes:

A supply rocket carrying cargo and experiments to the ISS exploded shortly after liftoff. NASA and Orbital Sciences (the company operating the rocket) have not released any information about what may have caused the incident, pending further investigation.

The mission was unmanned, and all personnel are safe and accounted for. The extent of the damage to the launch facility has not yet been determined.

Phil Plait, author of the Bad Astronomy blog speculates that the 60s-70s era refurbished Russian engines the vehicle used will come under heavy scrutiny.

 
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  • (Score: 2) by gman003 on Wednesday October 29 2014, @05:12PM

    by gman003 (4155) on Wednesday October 29 2014, @05:12PM (#111259)

    Most of them are staged combustion now. Russia's big on it (they figured out the metallurgy for hot oxidizer-heavy flows before we did), and most of the LH2 engines are staged combustion (because if you're going to use such an expensive fuel, you aren't going to waste it).

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