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The explosion was very expected. "Falcon 9 will likely break apart due to aerodynamic loads immediately following Crew Dragon's escape" https://www.reddit.com/

The explosion was very expected. "Falcon 9 will likely break apart due to aerodynamic loads immediately following Crew Dragon's escape" https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/eq24ap/rspacex_inflight_abort_test_official_launch/ https://www.reddit.com/r/spacex/comments/eq24ap/rspacex_infl...

soheil 7y ago
It seemed controlled and not due to aerodynamic loads.
- rrmm 7y ago
  It's immaterial either way. The booster isn't expected to survive an abort regardless of the reason for aborting.
  - dredmorbius 7y ago
    An unexpected booster failure mode would be well worth investigating. Nothing I've seen or heard yet suggests that the test experience was outside expectations.
  - soheil 7y ago
    It raises the question if the explosion was trigged by the self-destruct sequence and not as mentioned on the livestream by disintegration due to free-fall and aerodynamic forces, did the explosion happen too close to the capsule so as it might have adverse effects on the capsule?
    - phpnode 7y ago
      The explosion was not triggered by the self destruct system as has been pointed out to you repeatedly, and even if it were the system has been designed to work correctly in that scenario too (this is covered in the press conference).
    - lutorm 7y ago
      The system is designed to be able to abort from a deflagrating rocket without warning (although that was not the design of today's test, obviously). Today, Dragon was already well clear when the stage disintegrated 11s after the abort. Just eyeballing the footage, it's probably a km away.
      - soheil 7y ago
        Thanks for pointing that, it's obvious now that you say it. The next question is why didn't they just explode booster using the self-destruct sequence while the capsule is still attached to test a more realistic scenario?
- _Microft 7y ago
  The Falcon 9 has an AFTS (Automatic Flight Termination System) that destroys the booster if it veers off course (which might take other parameters into account as well?) to avoid damage on ground. As far as I know the AFTS consists of a detonating cord that runs along the tanks for fuel and oxidizer and rips them open when triggered. The substances mix and deflagrate and only the massive parts will actually reach ground (or sea).
  - greglindahl 7y ago
    The cord unzips the tank, but deflagration wasn’t expected because mixing should have been limited.
- bkanber 7y ago
  It is confirmed that it was due to the aerodynamic load. Without a nosecone, the craft decelerates hard. The fuel sloshes towards the front of the tanks, ruptures them, then explodes. It all happens very fast.

soheil 7y ago

It seemed controlled and not due to aerodynamic loads.

rrmm 7y ago
It's immaterial either way. The booster isn't expected to survive an abort regardless of the reason for aborting.
- dredmorbius 7y ago
  An unexpected booster failure mode would be well worth investigating. Nothing I've seen or heard yet suggests that the test experience was outside expectations.
- soheil 7y ago
  It raises the question if the explosion was trigged by the self-destruct sequence and not as mentioned on the livestream by disintegration due to free-fall and aerodynamic forces, did the explosion happen too close to the capsule so as it might have adverse effects on the capsule?
  - phpnode 7y ago
    The explosion was not triggered by the self destruct system as has been pointed out to you repeatedly, and even if it were the system has been designed to work correctly in that scenario too (this is covered in the press conference).
  - lutorm 7y ago
    The system is designed to be able to abort from a deflagrating rocket without warning (although that was not the design of today's test, obviously). Today, Dragon was already well clear when the stage disintegrated 11s after the abort. Just eyeballing the footage, it's probably a km away.
    - soheil 7y ago
      Thanks for pointing that, it's obvious now that you say it. The next question is why didn't they just explode booster using the self-destruct sequence while the capsule is still attached to test a more realistic scenario?
_Microft 7y ago
The Falcon 9 has an AFTS (Automatic Flight Termination System) that destroys the booster if it veers off course (which might take other parameters into account as well?) to avoid damage on ground. As far as I know the AFTS consists of a detonating cord that runs along the tanks for fuel and oxidizer and rips them open when triggered. The substances mix and deflagrate and only the massive parts will actually reach ground (or sea).
- greglindahl 7y ago
  The cord unzips the tank, but deflagration wasn’t expected because mixing should have been limited.
bkanber 7y ago
It is confirmed that it was due to the aerodynamic load. Without a nosecone, the craft decelerates hard. The fuel sloshes towards the front of the tanks, ruptures them, then explodes. It all happens very fast.