Re: VEHICLE HAS EXPLODED ON THE LAUNCH PAD

"Allen Thomson" <thomsona@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:1170215217.785195.69750@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

On Jan 30, 9:18 pm, Pat Flannery <flan...@xxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

No injuries; nobody is on launch platform during launch.
Spaceflight Now has
updates:http://spaceflightnow.com/sealaunch/nss8/status.htm
l Bet the launch platform is trashed though.

This reminds one of the couple of SL-16 non-successes back
in the 1980s. If it turns out that this was an engine
problem, I wonder if it might affect peoples' thinking
about Atlas 5.

Given the high parts commonality between the RD-171 and the
RD-180, it would seem likely. Since the engines were
obscured by their own exhaust, it's hard to say exactly
what did happen, though there certainly seemed to be a
early thrust termination.

The launch platform seemed surprisingly intact.

--Damon

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