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SpaceX Rocket Engine Explodes During Test (space.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the qualification-test dept.

According to The Washington Post, a SpaceX rocket engine exploded Sunday (Nov. 5) at the company's test facility in McGregor, Texas. The explosion reportedly occurred during a "qualification test" of a Merlin engine, the type that powers SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 rocket. Space.com reports: SpaceX has suspended engine testing while it investigates what caused the incident, which didn't injure anyone, the Post added. In a statement provided to the Post, SpaceX representatives said they didn't expect the explosion to affect the company's launch schedule. That schedule has been pretty packed this year. SpaceX has already launched 16 missions, all of them successful, in 2017 -- twice as many as its previous high in a calendar year. And all but three of these missions also involved landings of the Falcon 9 first stage, for eventual refurbishment and reuse.

8 of 115 comments (clear)

  1. Incident occured during a LOX test by Strider- · · Score: 4, Informative

    The incident in question did not occur during an engine firing. Rather they were performing a "LOX drop" test which basically involves pumping LOX through the engine and checking for leaks. Something went wrong in this process, causing the damage. Until the investigation is completed, there's no way to know whether it was an issue with the engine, the test rig, or the setup. It might be that a tech just dind't tighten something adequately, or a filler hose leaked or whatever. SpaceX won't know until they complete their investigation, and we may never know.

    To quote Adam Savage of Mythbusters fame "LOX makes anything flammable. LOX makes something flammable into a high explosive." So even if they just had a sufficiently large leak, and the LOX leaked onto/into asphalt or similar, all it takes is a spark to cause that asphalt to detonate like a bunch of dynamite.

    --
    ...si hoc legere nimium eruditionis habes...
    1. Re:Incident occured during a LOX test by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 4, Informative

      Also, this was a block 5 engine. There are newly designed un-flown parts in that engine, ironically because NASA asked for higher reliability for human missions. For example no more turbopump impeller cracks, which SpaceX had characterized and was tolerating on cargo missions using the older impellers. For something to go wrong during a test of new designs is to be expected.

      --
      Bruce Perens.
    2. Re:Incident occured during a LOX test by Bruce+Perens · · Score: 4, Informative

      There is probably a nitrogen test before the LOX is let in to the engine. But remember that LOX is its oxidizer, and it has to be run with it eventually because the engine can't work without it. And you don't want to test more than one variable at once if you don't have to, so the LOX gets let in without the fuel first. So, this test is essential.

      LOX is very nasty stuff and it is prudent to test with it. Suppose you had a vendor issue and you got an organic rubber O-ring in the system rather than one that can deal with LOX? You would find out, destructively, when the LOX came in.

      --
      Bruce Perens.
  2. Re:Well by used2win32 · · Score: 5, Informative

    At least this happened with the new Merlin Series 5 redesign, scheduled for flight next year.
    The current Series 4 engines have been pretty reliable so far...

    --
    Procrastination; I'll think of a sig tomorrow.
  3. Merlins engines powered the Spitfires by aberglas · · Score: 1, Informative

    Most famous British engine in the war. Bit rude of SpaceX to reuse the name.

  4. Some other sources by XXongo · · Score: 5, Informative

    At least this happened with the new Merlin Series 5 redesign, scheduled for flight next year.

    Exactly. That's important-- this is the next generation engine, not the one currently flying.

    Some alternate sources, some with more information:
    https://www.space.com/38712-spacex-rocket-engine-test-explosion.html
    https://www.geekwire.com/2017/next-generation-spacex-rocket-engine-goes-flames-texas-test/
    https://arstechnica.com/science/2017/11/an-experimental-spacex-rocket-engine-has-exploded-in-texas/
    https://www.theverge.com/2017/...

  5. Re: Well by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    SpaceX provides discount access to orbit. If you are launching a 5 billion dollar GSO comsat, you will go with ULA. If you want to dump a van load of cubesats designed by high school science clubs into LEO, you go with SpaceX.

    DoD is launching with SpaceX now, so they have definitely jumped up in the rankings compared to ULA, and the various state-owned launchers. Cubesats and science projects are becoming the domain of start-ups that NASA is funding

    FWIW the accident involved a new block-5 merlin engine that was undergoing lox load testing for leaks and 'something' caught fire, damaging the test facility, and presumably the engine, severely. It has not been determined if the engine, which was not firing, was at fault.

  6. Re:Ignition! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    A link to a downloadable copy is probably a good idea at this point. Scroll down a bit to the download options.

    https://archive.org/details/ignition_201612