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This seems to be something that happened a while ago, before they traced it to the upper stage helium tank. https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/09/23/falcon-9-rock
by Symmetry 10y ago
This seems to be something that happened a while ago, before they traced it to the upper stage helium tank.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/09/23/falcon-9-rocket-explosion-traced-to-upper-stage-helium-system/ https://spaceflightnow.com/2016/09/23/falcon-9-rocket-explos...
So yes it's something they considered but there wasn't any actual sabotage - it was just a tangent in the investigation.
- brudgers 10y agoFrom the linked article: The inquiry, led by SpaceX with assistance from government and industry experts, is still looking into the cause of the breach, which may be only a symptom and not the root of the Sept. 1 mishap. That doesn't mean that the root cause is sabotage nor does it mean it isn't. It just means that root cause analysis has not been completed.
- Symmetry 10y agoThe root cause isn't known but the fact that they can trace it to a failure of the helium containment system nearly rules out sabotage as a contributing factor.
- MertsA 10y agoWhy do you suggest that rules out sabotage? What better way to cause a rocket to explode than to rupture a high pressure tank inside the oxidizer tank right after it was fueled.