Opinion

SpaceX- From Failure to Success in Six Months

Always Learning, Adapting, and Improving

On June 28th, 2015, SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 on what was to be the 7th resupply mission to the ISS. I was enjoying a nice cup of coffee in my hometown, watching the launch with a few other people at my favorite coffee shop in Fort Collins. That’s when it happened.

The rocket disintegrated in flight.

We all got quiet. Even people who’d never seen a launch could tell something was wrong. Thankfully, no humans were on board, but it was still a distressing experience. Seeing a rocket explode is never something I want to see.

About a month after this initial failure, SpaceX issued a news update on their website. In clinical language, they described their initial findings in great detail.

“On June 28, 2015, following a nominal liftoff, Falcon 9 experienced an over pressure event in the upper stage liquid oxygen tank approximately 139 seconds into flight, resulting in the loss of the mission. This summary represents an initial assessment, but further investigation may reveal more over time.”

“Prior to the mishap, the first stage of the vehicle, including all nine Merlin 1D engines, operated nominally; the first stage actually continued to power through the overpressure event on the second stage for several seconds following the mishap. In addition, the Dragon spacecraft not only survived the second stage…