Journal #8458 by The Mad Carrot

Jessie

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-28 23:40:02 UTC Comment #38761

Were there people on that thing?

The Mad Carrot

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-28 23:42:44 UTC Comment #38756

No, it's an unmanned launch vehicle. Still devastating though.

Captain Terror

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 00:49:48 UTC Comment #38763

Yowser!

Must have been really surreal seeing it live

Captain Terror

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 01:21:29 UTC Comment #38764

^ That's hott..

There's got to be an easier way to space than this... Shouldn't we at least have the technology now to launch these things without them blowing up anymore?

brendanmint

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 01:23:26 UTC Comment #38773

Hopefully SpaceX doesn't have this problem when they start doing manned missions. Curious as to what caused it, wish I could go to spaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacccccceeeeeeeeeee.

Notewell

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 02:00:29 UTC Comment #38769

When I first heard about this, I was just really glad it was unmanned.
Massive financial loss, I'm sure, and I hope it wasn't carrying, like, food or anything else that's needed on the ISS urgently, but at least nobody died in the blast.
Really impressed that the control room personnel were able to remain calm.

DiscoStu

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 03:17:35 UTC Comment #38770

Maaan. Glad there was noone on it. I still remember the Columbia.

BulletTrap

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 03:42:00 UTC Comment #38775

I remember watching the challenger disaster as a kid.(Yeah, I'm old...) I agree that you wonder why we haven't mastered technology that's been around since the '40s, but it goes to show how really difficult a task it remains. I'm also very glad that it was an unmanned mission.I hope they get the supplies up there soon.

Stojke

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 05:52:48 UTC Comment #38774

The same thing happened with Soyuz when it was carrying GLONASS. (Two times)

Striker

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 06:56:50 UTC Comment #38766

Aren't they using reconditioned USSR rockets as old as 60'? If that's the case, I see where the problem is coming.

[EDIT] People making weird noises at 0:15

The Mad Carrot

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 16:08:00 UTC Comment #38757

That could be the case indeed, striker. It was just too much for the old engine, and it exploded.

DiscoStu

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 16:39:42 UTC Comment #38771

That's what happens when you work with things that explode, though

Striker

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 17:39:47 UTC Comment #38767

That's like saying to a failed bomb explosion that instead only burns "that's what happens when you work with things that are flammable" :P.

Bruce

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 21:04:32 UTC Comment #38768

50 year old solid fuel rockets? you gotta be kidding

The Mad Carrot

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-29 23:18:14 UTC Comment #38758

I've added a photo of the damaged launchpad and a video of the launch failure from inside a small plane at 3000ft.

Captain Terror

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-30 03:31:30 UTC Comment #38765

Can't NASA just make a big trebuchet or steam catapult to shoot men and materials into space?

DiscoStu

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-30 17:07:12 UTC Comment #38772

I approve of this. Where do I sign up?

Archie

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-31 22:06:37 UTC Comment #38760

The week just got much darker for space flight as a pilot tragically lost his life in a solid rocket booster failure and explosion on a SpaceShipTwo test flight.

The Mad Carrot

Commented 10 years ago2014-10-31 22:30:28 UTC Comment #38759

Yeah, I was about to tell about that here. Terrible indeed.

Jessie

Commented 8 years ago2016-10-17 14:38:27 UTC Comment #38762

I heard another Antares rocket will take to the skies almost two years from now.

Journal #8458

20 Comments