Fatal Fire at Indian Space Center

JJP writes "The BBC reports that a fire has ripped through India's main space centre killing at least six people. Apparently an explosion triggered the fire at a solid propellant plant, where advanced rocket fuel is prepared. The fire at Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota is reported to be under control."

Comments

Lots of fires in our early Rocket program, too

[justanyone]

We had quite a lot of rather disastrous fires in our early rocket programs, too. Since many were military, I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't all revealed to the public as 'rocketry disasters' instead of being 'experimental failures' or 'military accidents'.

I believe I speak for all space enthusiasts (ok this is unrealistic) when I offer our condolences on the tragic loss of life in India. Progress has costs, and hopefully the cost of these lives will buy improvements in the knowledge about, and operational safety with, rocket technologies.

"We choose to go to the moon and do these other things not because they are easy, but because they are hard." John Kennedy knew that it's important to dedicate onself to a noble task and boldly pursue it. I hope India's space program advances on those noble goals we all set, the lifting of humanity from the face of this humble rock to the place where the real action is, Space.

-- Kevin J. Rice

Re:Lots of fires in our early Rocket program, too

[justanyone]

A common early rocket fuel / oxidizer was Kerosene with Red Fuming Nitric Acid, which was obviously quite NASTY stuff. A technical link to this is here.

I've read that the people who fueled these rockets had to know (a) exactly what to wear because some rubber was eaten by the acid and other protective gear was not, and (b) exactly which way the wind was blowing at all times so they could run upwind if there was a spillage. The stuff apparently became gaseous very quickly and a being in a cloud of nitric acid can ruin your whole day.