Elon Musk Asks Twitter For Help In Finding Cause of SpaceX Explosion (gizmodo.com)

On September 1, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket exploded on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and destroyed the AMOS-6 satellite that belonged to Facebook, which was going to be used to beam internet to developing parts of the world. Since the cause for the explosion has yet to be solved, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is asking for help via Twitter. Slashdot reader Thelasko writes: Elon Musk stated on Twitter last night, "Still working on the Falcon fireball investigation. Turning out to be the most difficult and complex failure we have ever had in 14 years." He went on to say, "Important to note that this happened during a routine filling operation. Engines were not on and there was no apparent heat source." Other Tweets mention a "bang" sound before the fire, and that SpaceX "have not ruled out" the possibility that something struck the rocket.

Comments

Re:Might want to watch this

[Anonymous Coward]

That video doesn't even answer the question it asks - it just gives attention to a notorious YouTube troll/crank.

Re:Any twit could do it

[michelcolman]

Oh, I'm dead serious, I really think a hypothetical AI designed to randomly take a web company's servers off line is capable of making a rocket explode on the launch pad due to some "must destroy server no matter what it takes" subroutine. /sarcasm

I guess that explains why I didn't get the +5 Funny I was aiming for...

Re:Cause

[HornWumpus]

Try mixing ammonia and bleach.

It's a great cleaning liquid, amazing. The reaction when they mix is inhibited by light. So mix it up indoors, in a room without windows. You're going to want a lot, so get the two biggest bottles you can find.

I suspect it's a conspiracy by the cleaning industrial complex to keep this formula secret.