VANDENBERG SPACE FORCE BASE (CBSLA) “The engine of a test rocket that exploded shortly after it was successfully launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base simply shut down, causing the rocket to lose control,” Firefly Aerospace said in a statement.
Firefly Aerospace’s first test flight of its Alpha rocket ended with an explosion over the Pacific Ocean just two minutes and 30 seconds after it was launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base on 2 September. And even though the rocket failed to go into orbit, the Firefly Aerospace launch said it gave them a “wealth of flight data” that increases its chances of reaching orbit on another flight.
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“In short, we had a very successful first flight,” the company said.
The Texas-based carrier says the vehicle with the Alpha rocket cleaned its pad properly, and everything went as predicted when it came to speed and shock. But 15 seconds into the flight, engine 2 of its four Reaver engines stopped. Firefly stressed that the engine did not fail, but “simply closed and pressure stopped from engine 2.”
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The rocket continued to climb another 145 seconds, but without engine 2 it could not sustain its climb and tumbled out of control.
“The range completed the flight using the Explosive Flight Termination System (FTS),” Firefly Aerospace said. “The rocket did not explode by itself.”
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The company says they are investigating the launch to understand why Engine 2 shuts down early, and plans to make another Alpha flight as soon as possible.
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