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I dont know enough about the Falcon, but who is responsible for creating the separation process or mechanism from the second stage of the rocket? I assumed it
by ProAm 9y ago
I dont know enough about the Falcon, but who is responsible for creating the separation process or mechanism from the second stage of the rocket? I assumed it would be SpaceX's?
- benmorris 9y agoOn this launch it was Northrup Grumman that built the mechanism that connected to the 2nd stage.
- JshWright 9y agoGenerally speaking it is SpaceX. However, due to the very sensitive nature of this payload, the satellite's manufacturer supplied the payload adapter (the bit that handles the detaching) and did the processing themselves (mating the two together, etc). So, in this specific case, if it was a failure of the payload to deploy properly, that would almost certainly be Northrup Grumman's "fault".
- planteen 9y ago> So, in this specific case, if it was a failure of the payload to deploy properly, that would almost certainly be Northrup Grumman's "fault". Many scenarios would point that way, yeah. But there are still things the launch vehicle (LV) could have done wrong. At the end of the day, this is a mechanical and electrical interface. Interfaces must be specified and that always leaves room for misinterpretation or incorrect specifications. There had to have been an electrical harness that signaled when it was time to deploy. A failure there could absolutely be on the LV side.
- Symmetry 9y agoIt seems like the secrecy surrounding the payload and payload adapter can't help but increase the odds of failure through restricted information flow between the payload designers and rocket engineers.