SpaceX Falcon 1 DemoFlight 2 Launch

Presented by http://collectSPACE.com — The Source for Space History and Artifacts. Video via SpaceX webcast.

SpaceX became the first to privately develop then launch a liquid fuel rocket to space on Tuesday, March 20, but problems with its second stage resulted in the craft not reaching its intended orbit. A "roll control anomaly" caused the second stage engine to shutdown prematurely, according to SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk. The Falcon did reach 300 kilometers, a notable improvement over the company's first test launch from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific, which ended in an explosion. The Falcon 1's first stage is intended for reuse and Musk said that its recovery boat was in "hot pursuit."

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• SpaceX
• rocket
• launch
• Falcon
• space

[rnech]

Based upon the findings of crash investigators the oscillations started when the interstage couple separated and hit the nozzle. This started the oxidizer and fuel to start sloshing in their baffleless tanks. The software was not updated to that point to handle such a task since it wasn't anticipated that this would happen. You can read up on their analysis at spacex dot com.

[r0ck3tsm0k3]

More ignorant comments about rockets... just what we need.

[rnech]

It didn't turn into space junk because the rocket didn't make it to orbit. It went about 180 miles vertically, arced over, and plunged into the Pacific ocean some where.

[lineman55]

more space junk..just what we need...cool video anyways

[jurgorr]

What's with the oscillations at the end?