SpaceX Rocket Test-Fire Has Problems
Observers Say Test Appeared To Have Been Aborted
POSTED: Tuesday, March 9, 2010
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- SpaceX's test-firing of its Falcon 9 rocket engines on Tuesday appeared to have been aborted as a result of some technical problem, observers said.
The nine Merlin 1C engines clustered at the bottom of the rocket's first stage ignited at 1:41 p.m., but it did not appear the test-firing went the full 3.5 seconds as intended, observers told Local 6 News partner Florida Today.
The water deluge system at Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station started pouring water on the pad, the engines ignited in a fleeting flash of orange light, black smoke billowed up the side of the 180-foot vehicle but then the engines cutoff. Observers said it appeared as if flight computers detected some problem and automatically shut down the engines before the planned 3.5-second test was completed.
SpaceX officials were not immediately available for comment.
The test-firing is considered a major milestone to the inaugural launch of the Falcon 9, which now is scheduled for March 22.
The Falcon 9 first stage is equipped with nine Merlin 1C engines that were designed and developed by SpaceX.
The engines use RP-1, a highly refined kerosene, and liquid oxygen as propellants. They are designed to be recovered from the ocean, refurbished and reused. Each of the engines produces 125,000 pounds of thrust at sea level.
Watch Local 6 News for more on this story.
Copyright 2010 by Internet Broadcasting Systems and
ClickOrlando.com.
All rights reserved. This material may
not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.