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Federal Investigators Spot Flaws in SpaceX Falcon 9 Rockets
http://www.popularmechanics.com/space/rockets/a25035/flaws-in-spacex-falcon-9-rockets/[font face=Serif][font size=5]Federal Investigators Spot Flaws in SpaceX Falcon 9 Rockets[/font]
[font size=4]The Government Accountability Office identified persistent cracking in turbofans that pump fuel to the rocket engines.[/font]
By Jay Bennett | Feb 3, 2017
[font size=3]After launching ten satellites into orbit last month, and successfully landing a Falcon 9 first stage, it looked like SpaceX was getting back on track. But unfortunately, preliminary reports from a Government Accountability Office investigation have found "persistent cracking of vital propulsion-system components," according to The Wall Street Journal. Specifically, turbofans that pump rocket fuel to the Falcon 9 engines were identified as weak points where cracking can occur.
There is no indication that a compromised turbopump, as the component is commonly called, contributed to the Falcon 9 explosion this past September. Still, the report, which will come out in full in the coming weeks, will likely delay SpaceX launches and ultimately postpone the company's plans to launch astronauts to the International Space Station next year. NASA has been briefed on the GAO's preliminary findings, and the agency has warned SpaceX that such cracks create an unacceptable risk for crewed spaceflights.
Acting NASA administrator Robert Lightfoot told The Wall Street Journal that the agency is "talking to (SpaceX) about turbo machinery," and that he's confident "we know how to fix them." A SpaceX spokesperson added that the Falcon 9's engines are designed to withstand such cracks, but the company is "modifying the design to avoid them altogether... in partnership with NASA to qualify engines for manned spaceflight." It is unclear whether the design modifications will require replacing the turbopumps altogether.
SpaceX has an ambitious launch manifest for 2017, comprising 16 rocket launches for NASA and commercial customers, twice as many as the company achieved last year. The maiden flight of the Falcon Heavy, a heavy lift rocket with a standard Falcon 9 core and two additional strap-on boosters, is also slated for sometime between July and September. SpaceX's next launch is a cargo delivery mission to the ISS scheduled for February 14, though two other imminent launches were recently delayed.
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[font size=4]The Government Accountability Office identified persistent cracking in turbofans that pump fuel to the rocket engines.[/font]
By Jay Bennett | Feb 3, 2017
[font size=3]After launching ten satellites into orbit last month, and successfully landing a Falcon 9 first stage, it looked like SpaceX was getting back on track. But unfortunately, preliminary reports from a Government Accountability Office investigation have found "persistent cracking of vital propulsion-system components," according to The Wall Street Journal. Specifically, turbofans that pump rocket fuel to the Falcon 9 engines were identified as weak points where cracking can occur.
There is no indication that a compromised turbopump, as the component is commonly called, contributed to the Falcon 9 explosion this past September. Still, the report, which will come out in full in the coming weeks, will likely delay SpaceX launches and ultimately postpone the company's plans to launch astronauts to the International Space Station next year. NASA has been briefed on the GAO's preliminary findings, and the agency has warned SpaceX that such cracks create an unacceptable risk for crewed spaceflights.
Acting NASA administrator Robert Lightfoot told The Wall Street Journal that the agency is "talking to (SpaceX) about turbo machinery," and that he's confident "we know how to fix them." A SpaceX spokesperson added that the Falcon 9's engines are designed to withstand such cracks, but the company is "modifying the design to avoid them altogether... in partnership with NASA to qualify engines for manned spaceflight." It is unclear whether the design modifications will require replacing the turbopumps altogether.
SpaceX has an ambitious launch manifest for 2017, comprising 16 rocket launches for NASA and commercial customers, twice as many as the company achieved last year. The maiden flight of the Falcon Heavy, a heavy lift rocket with a standard Falcon 9 core and two additional strap-on boosters, is also slated for sometime between July and September. SpaceX's next launch is a cargo delivery mission to the ISS scheduled for February 14, though two other imminent launches were recently delayed.
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