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Video of explosion:
Rocket Explodes at Space X
Edit: Direct Link:
https://gray-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ftpupl/kwtx/839c12f5211f48bea0bddacf61f246ac_Spacex_Grasshopper__2_.m4v
Edit 2: Now on Youtube:
SpaceX F9RDev1 Flight Termination/Explosion (Friday Aug 22 2014) - YouTube
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"So we're 5-for-5 testing on this Grasshopper. But, but that means we're not pushing hard enough. We've got to tunnel one of those vehicle into the ground by trying something really hard. We haven't done that yet. So now our challenge to our test team is you've got to push hard enough that we're going to see something happen. A spectacular video."--Gwynne Shotwell, June 2013.
Credit to username "e of pi" over on the NSF forums for finding this.
Rocket Explodes at Space X
Edit: Direct Link:
https://gray-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com/ftpupl/kwtx/839c12f5211f48bea0bddacf61f246ac_Spacex_Grasshopper__2_.m4v
Edit 2: Now on Youtube:
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"So we're 5-for-5 testing on this Grasshopper. But, but that means we're not pushing hard enough. We've got to tunnel one of those vehicle into the ground by trying something really hard. We haven't done that yet. So now our challenge to our test team is you've got to push hard enough that we're going to see something happen. A spectacular video."--Gwynne Shotwell, June 2013.
Credit to username "e of pi" over on the NSF forums for finding this.
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Boo. Get ready for a troll fest. We might realize that SpaceX is pushing the envelope and their equipment but others will just take the opportunity to bash SpaceX.
I remember reading that quote from Gywnne a while ago. Seeing as nobody was hurt, no taxpayer dollars wasted, and hopefully SpaceX learned something from the telemetry, I can't see how anybody could bash them.
Rocketry did not evolve from a series of successful test flights.
Trev Page
Member
Something like this was bound to happen eventually. These are rocket tests with engines burning thousands of gallons of fuel a minute at high pressure. Rockets are required to have onboard "self-destruct" explosives just in case they veer off course. This is most likely what happened based on the wording of Elon's tweet. SpaceX is no different.
Does anyone know if Elon is usually on location for a test launch? Elon & Steve Jurvetson were both there yesterday so any guesses what this rocket was testing?
Steve Jurvetson on Twitter: The obligatory Dairy Queen stop at the SpaceX McGregor Texas test facility with Elon Musk and my partner Randy Gl... http://t.co/IeIT0wSKEQ
Steve Jurvetson on Twitter: The obligatory Dairy Queen stop at the SpaceX McGregor Texas test facility with Elon Musk and my partner Randy Gl... http://t.co/IeIT0wSKEQ
chickensevil
Active Member
Looks like from the video at two different angles it stopped firing the engines and then refired... Shortly thereafter... Boom. So the veering off course bit seems plausible. I hope no cows were harmed in the testing of this rocket 
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Well, only took them a year... but... mission accomplished!
I imagine the conversation went something like this:
Hey! What happened! What did you do!?
Well, remember a little over a year ago you said we weren't trying hard enough and you wanted a spectacular video? Well, you can put THAT on my annual review as accomplishing that goal!
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Well, only took them a year... but... mission accomplished!
I imagine the conversation went something like this:
Hey! What happened! What did you do!?
Well, remember a little over a year ago you said we weren't trying hard enough and you wanted a spectacular video? Well, you can put THAT on my annual review as accomplishing that goal!
glhs272
Unnamed plug faced villian
Yes the Flight Termination System (FTS) was used, thus the "Kaboom". If you want to know what actually happened and why the flight was terminated, go to Nasaspaceflight.com, join L2 (only about $20) and be informed.
Because of the way this forum is used by so many, with various agendas, I wish the mods had altered the headline by using the word "destroyed" in place of "explodes". The latter connotes something uncontrolled, in my opinion.
glhs272
Unnamed plug faced villian
Agreed. Although it wasn't the intention of this flight to test the FTS system, it in fact was the first example of real test of spacex's in-house autonomous FTS system on the F9. Worked as designed. I am sure a lot of things were learned on this flight, despite the end result.
chickensevil
Active Member
You don't know how something can go wrong until it does, so if they were really trying to break something looks like they succeeded...
I titled the thread exactly as the article, it was breaking news & nowhere does it state anything about testing or experimenting so adding that to the tittle would not have been accurate, anytime there is a rocket failure, a car crash or battery fire or anything that might be taken negatively should be water-downed I guess.
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glhs272
Unnamed plug faced villian
Canuck
Well-Known Member
I don't think any offence at all was meant to you by revising the thread title. It was just a more accurate description, like the fact that battery fires are not nearly as bad as the media initially made out, with sensationalized titled articles, and same goes for car crashes articles since the Tesla is the safest car out there in its class.
I don't get offended, Mods changing titles don't bother me, they can delete the whole thread & I wouldn't care, I am just pointing out that a forum member wanted a title change 1 minute after I posted the thread & still today more changes are being requested without providing any new information, let SpaceX investigate what went wrong & release their findings when ready & stop worrying about thread tittles.
CNN ran a pretty fair article about what happened:
Experimental SpaceX rocket self-detonates over Texas - CNN.com
Also, here's the write up at NASA Space Flight:
Eventful Friday for SpaceX amid Static Fire and Test Failure | NASASpaceFlight.com
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Cleaned up, stabilized and zoomed in version:
F9R Dev1 [moment of explosion] - YouTube
Again, borrowed from the nice people at the NSF forums.
You can actually see it turn sideways, then the engine turns off, then it self destructs.
Experimental SpaceX rocket self-detonates over Texas - CNN.com
Also, here's the write up at NASA Space Flight:
Eventful Friday for SpaceX amid Static Fire and Test Failure | NASASpaceFlight.com
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Cleaned up, stabilized and zoomed in version:
Again, borrowed from the nice people at the NSF forums.
You can actually see it turn sideways, then the engine turns off, then it self destructs.
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