Well, it looks like there is more information about what happened, and what SpaceX is intending on doing here at space.com. I was kinda bugged with some of the attitudes expressed on sci.space.policy about the whole situation. I guess I’m not in much of a position to talk, seeing as how I was the one who blogged it in the first place….
SpaceX reported this problem just about as quickly as they did their previous problems. They are a rocket engineering company, not a rocket nerd entertainment company. They make money by designing, testing and flying hardware, not be wasting their time explaining all of their decisions to monday morning quarterback style engineers and engineer wannabes. Companies tend to like to release information about snags after they’ve had a chance to analyze and fix the problem. Problems happen, but solving problems show competence.
Anyway, it’s interesting to note that Elon’s reply mentions that the failures occured during tests that were intentionally testing severely off-nominal situations. In other words, they were trying to test the bolts off the thing. The fact that they had a failure in such a situation isn’t too suprising at all.
Anyway, I needed to vent a little spleen. Back to work now.
Jonathan Goff
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Jon, don’t burst my bubble! SpaceX is an excellent Rocket Nerd Entertainment Company.
Well, I’m glad to see that they are following G. Harry Stine’s advice to test, test, and test till you blow something up. It’s the only way to really learn how things are going to come apart on you and more importently what leads up to it … so you can avoid it in use.