Sea-Launch "anomaly"

[D H]

This sounds a bit ominous:

 

http://www.sea-launch.com/

"A Sea-Launch Zenit-33l vehicle carrying the NSS-8 satellite, experienced an anomaly today during launch operations. All personnel at the launch site are safe and accounted for."

 

So what exactly was the nature of this "anomaly"? The video is on youtube:

[YT2095]

well if that`s an "Anomaly" I`d hate to see what they meant if they said "Something really Bad has happened"

[insane_alien]

uhh houston, we're going the wrong direction.

[Pangloss]

This is kinda annoying for DirecTV HDTV subscribers (like me). They're supposed to launch two more sats off that platform this year.

[insane_alien]

well, once they put a couple of sheets of plywood over the big gaping hole thats likely there i'm sure they'll be fine. might want to stick on some ducttape and rubber bands to make sure though.

[daniel_haxby]

Guys, it's a sea-launch platform. The satellite launches from the sea, not the platform! Duh!

[insane_alien]

dude, you do realise that they launch from a floating platform and not under the sea right?

 

or, was it a horrible attempt at irony?

[daniel_haxby]

I have seen the video. I wasn't aware we were on a serious thread.

 

Read irony.

[Pangloss]

In that case it was a pretty good joke. Although I suppose their investors wouldn't find it very amusing!

[JohnB]

It's an "anomaly" because that way you don't have to file an OH&S report.

[Rexus]

umm, just a question: why do some crafts launch from underwater? Does it give it a faster lift-off or? Thanks for the science

[D H]

Just to get things straight, Sea Launch is a floating platform. You can see it from miles away. So why would you launch something from underwater? Hint: It is not nto get a faster liftoff.

[spikerz66]

just watch the damn video it pretty much explains everything