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NASA's ELaNa 41 launch possibly failed

24 points by squarefoot 5y ago

On board cameras showed 2nd stage spinning just after separation, then the live stream went dark. Recorded stream here - failure starts at 1:02:30 with separation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jlQmW7mnYM&t=3740s Edit: updated link.

jepler 5y ago
"We experienced an issue during today's flight that resulted in the payloads not being delivered to orbit. We are deeply sorry to our customers @NASA and the small satellite teams. More information will be provided after we complete a data review." https://twitter.com/Astra/status/1491868134713671684?cxt=HHwWiICq1cGKl7QpAAAA https://twitter.com/Astra/status/1491868134713671684?cxt=HHw...
_Microft 5y ago
The left view in [0] seems to be taken by a camera attached to the booster/interstage, viewing forward while the right view seems to be from a camera on the upper stage. A schematic of the rocket was shown at [1] if you want to get an idea what the rocket looks like. After reviewing the separation sequence, I would say that fairing separation failed. Right after MECO (main-engine cutoff) was called out, there is white/blueish light appearing in front of the upper stage. This makes me think that the fairing should have opened at that moment but it did so only partially and that this is sunlight shining through a gap. Shortly after, the upper stage was separated from the lower stage and was pushed away until being stopped by the still closed fairing. Then the upper engine ignited and now actually pushed the second stage through the fairing. God knows what was already damaged at that point. Edit: it seems like this is exactly what happened. There is a video [2] (made by Scott Manley) with a side by side view of two stage separations which lets you see what should have happened when. Just watch that. [0] OPs link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jlQmW7mnYM&t=3740s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jlQmW7mnYM&t=3740s [1] https://youtu.be/8jlQmW7mnYM?t=2177 https://youtu.be/8jlQmW7mnYM?t=2177 [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq-a_F6F2xo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq-a_F6F2xo
elkos 5y ago
My thoughts go especially to the ELaNa small satellite teams on that launch. I was eagerly awaiting to pick up their transitions via SatNOGS. We rode on the inaugural launch of Firefly Alpha that also failed to reach orbit. Any launch is an emotional rollercoaster, particularly a failed one. Having said so, don't hesitate to go back in orbit, either as a team or as engineers. Ad astra, per aspera.

24 points by squarefoot 5y ago

jepler 5y ago

"We experienced an issue during today's flight that resulted in the payloads not being delivered to orbit. We are deeply sorry to our customers @NASA and the small satellite teams. More information will be provided after we complete a data review." https://twitter.com/Astra/status/1491868134713671684?cxt=HHwWiICq1cGKl7QpAAAA https://twitter.com/Astra/status/1491868134713671684?cxt=HHw...

_Microft 5y ago

The left view in [0] seems to be taken by a camera attached to the booster/interstage, viewing forward while the right view seems to be from a camera on the upper stage. A schematic of the rocket was shown at [1] if you want to get an idea what the rocket looks like. After reviewing the separation sequence, I would say that fairing separation failed. Right after MECO (main-engine cutoff) was called out, there is white/blueish light appearing in front of the upper stage. This makes me think that the fairing should have opened at that moment but it did so only partially and that this is sunlight shining through a gap. Shortly after, the upper stage was separated from the lower stage and was pushed away until being stopped by the still closed fairing. Then the upper engine ignited and now actually pushed the second stage through the fairing. God knows what was already damaged at that point. Edit: it seems like this is exactly what happened. There is a video [2] (made by Scott Manley) with a side by side view of two stage separations which lets you see what should have happened when. Just watch that. [0] OPs link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jlQmW7mnYM&t=3740s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jlQmW7mnYM&t=3740s [1] https://youtu.be/8jlQmW7mnYM?t=2177 https://youtu.be/8jlQmW7mnYM?t=2177 [2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq-a_F6F2xo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pq-a_F6F2xo

elkos 5y ago

My thoughts go especially to the ELaNa small satellite teams on that launch. I was eagerly awaiting to pick up their transitions via SatNOGS. We rode on the inaugural launch of Firefly Alpha that also failed to reach orbit. Any launch is an emotional rollercoaster, particularly a failed one. Having said so, don't hesitate to go back in orbit, either as a team or as engineers. Ad astra, per aspera.