Antares/Cygnus- 6 seconds burn almost 2 billion USD

[Nicholas Kang]

I am sure most of you are informed that the Antares incident in Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia that happened 6:22 p.m. EDT. I am wondering why no one start a topic about this sad incident. It appears to be very serious. Usually, when any rocket fails during launch, newspaper in Malaysia will only show the news as a small paragraph in some small column that isn`t easily identified. But this time, it appears to be a full page with detailed explanation.

 

To prevent this thread to be regarded as off topic, I posted a link-related conference by NASA. There are many links if you Google NASA or Antares in the News section.

 

 

The main reason I posted this topic is to understand more about why (this) rocket may fail during launch, I mean what are the possibilities/causes that may arise in this incident. I know there are experts in space engineering in this forum.

 

Can anyone please help to increase my knowledge?

[Sensei]

The main reason I posted this topic is to understand more about why (this) rocket may fail during launch, I mean what are the possibilities/causes that may arise in this incident. I know there are experts in space engineering in this forum.

 

Can anyone please help to increase my knowledge?

 

Reason of failure will be under investigation by specialist that will analyze wreckage and data recorded by instruments.

 

Rockets are huge tanks of liquid Oxygen and Hydrogen (so it must have < -250 C temperature), that are flowing through pipes to cool down engine chamber (to avoid meltdown), then to engine where they're starting joining to form water and releasing energy and it's flying through nozzle.

 

There could be f.e. leakage of fuel in body of rocket, that uncontrolled started burning outside of engine chamber.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Sensei

[Nicholas Kang]

Rockets are huge tanks of liquid Oxygen and Hydrogen¹ (so it must have < -250 C temperature²), that are flowing through pipes to cool down engine chamber (to avoid meltdown)³, then to engine where they're starting joining to form water and releasing energy and it's flying through nozzle.

 

There could be f.e.⁴ leakage of fuel in body of rocket, that uncontrolled started burning outside of engine chamber.

 

1. No, I disagree. Rockets aren`t just huge tanks and nothing more than that. They must have load bays, engines etc.

2. I roughly speculate why. Is it becuase both O and H in liquid form/phase has very low temperature, since they exist as gas in room temperature, therefore they must have lower temperature in liquid phase. The tenperature is close to Absolute zero, something like -273.15-250= 23.15 degree Celcius difference.

3. No, sorry, I don`t understand. I thought liquid O and H flows directly from the storage tank to the engine/combustion chamber. They are always cold when stored, aren`t they? Why cooling down the engine? The fuels are used to burn to produce enough momentum to push the rocket from thel launch pad, but not to simply cool the engine down, aren`t they?

4. What is f.e.? Sorry, I don`t understand shorthand writings.

 

Thanks.

[Sensei]

1. No, I disagree. Rockets aren`t just huge tanks and nothing more than that. They must have load bays, engines etc.

You're picky. Tank of fuel is typically majority of space of rocket.

 

Antares mass is 240 tons, while max load is 6 tons (2.5% of mass).

 

2. I roughly speculate why. Is it becuase both O and H in liquid form/phase has very low temperature, since they exist as gas in room temperature, therefore they must have lower temperature in liquid phase. The tenperature is close to Absolute zero, something like -273.15-250= 23.15 degree Celcius difference.

Liquid Hydrogen has temperature between −259.16 °C to −252.879 °C.

Below −259.16 °C, it's solid.

Liquid Oxygen has temperature between −218.79 °C to −182.962 °C.

(Other source says −222.65 °C to −182.96 °C)

 

But I just read on wikipedia that Antares 1st stage rocket doesn't use Hydrogen, but kerosene. (plus Liquid Oxygen)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares_(rocket)

 

3. No, sorry, I don`t understand. I thought liquid O and H flows directly from the storage tank to the engine/combustion chamber. They are always cold when stored, aren`t they? Why cooling down the engine? The fuels are used to burn to produce enough momentum to push the rocket from thel launch pad, but not to simply cool the engine down, aren`t they?

 

They're cold because of constant keeping them cool.

 

Engines must have cooling down mechanisms, because burned fuel is heating it to high temperatures, much higher than metal melting point. It can be done by placing pipes coming from fuel tanks around engine. Liquid fuel is cooling it while flowing to inside of chamber.

 

4. What is f.e.? Sorry, I don`t understand shorthand writings.

f.e. = for example.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Sensei

[Nicholas Kang]

They're cold because of constant keeping them cool.

 

Engines must have cooling down mechanisms, because burned fuel is heating it to high temperatures, much higher than metal melting point. It can be done by placing pipes coming from fuel tanks around engine. Liquid fuel is cooling it while flowing to inside of chamber.

 

You mean

1. Fuel are stored in storage tanks;

2. Pipes lead them to the combustion chamber;

3. On the way, they are placed near the engine, so the engine takes advantage of the flow of cold liquid O and H to lower its own temperature;

4. The pipes end at the combustion chamber, injecting fuels into chamber for burning;

5. Gas escape from nozzle;

6. The process continues until no more fuel is left?

[Sensei]

You mean

1. Fuel are stored in storage tanks;

2. Pipes lead them to the combustion chamber;

3. On the way, they are placed near the engine, so the engine takes advantage of the flow of cold liquid O and H to lower its own temperature;

4. The pipes end at the combustion chamber, injecting fuels into chamber for burning;

5. Gas escape from nozzle;

6. The process continues until no more fuel is left?

Pretty much, yes.

Edited October 30, 2014 by Sensei

[Strange]

Antares uses kerosene not hydrogen.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antares_%28rocket%29

[Endy0816]

Accidents happen. I wouldn't even consider them as sad unless there is a loss of life.

 

Just to give an idea on the numbers of reported accidents: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_spaceflight-related_accidents_and_incidents

 

The ongoing transition to private industry contractors could also have been a factor, though NASA certainly had its fair share of accidents.

[hoola]

I imagine the problem is largely due to a chilling of the diplomatic relationship between the USA and Russia, as this failure signifies a greater reliance on Russia to deliver space cargo that the USA and the world in general needs. Giving the USA a delightful tweak to the nose by allowing ed snowden sanctuary in their country, the embarassment of the USA having invested in the disastrous shuttle idea is magnified...

Edited October 30, 2014 by hoola

[Dumitru Gabriel]

NASA Rocket Failed To Take-Off And Explodes On October 28 2014


Moments after lifting off at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia, the unmanned Antares rocket meant to bring cargo to the International Space Station exploded. This was to be the third commercial resupply mission by Orbital Sciences. The explosion occurred at 6:22 pm EDT on October 28, six seconds after launching.


No injuries or deaths are believed to have occurred because of this failed launch, with all personnel at Wallops safe and accounted for.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDYv5ii18gk