UNmanned Antares Rocket Explodes seconds after launch

[U.S. Water Rockets]

This is a pretty spectacular malfunction. Good thing this was unmanned. No reports of injuries, just a big mess.

[youtube][/youtube]

This goes to show you that Rocket Science is HARD!

[bugwubber]

This is a pretty spectacular malfunction. Good thing this was unmanned. No reports of injuries, just a big mess.

[youtube][/youtube]

This goes to show you that Rocket Science is HARD!

Back in July we drove by the ATK buildings in Utah. The engine test building was really cool. Too bad they weren't testing at the time!
It will be interesting to hear what component failed and caused them to abort. Aren't they using 50 year old motors?

[U.S. Water Rockets1]

This is a pretty spectacular malfunction. Good thing this was unmanned. No reports of injuries, just a big mess.

[youtube][/youtube]

This goes to show you that Rocket Science is HARD!

Back in July we drove by the ATK buildings in Utah. The engine test building was really cool. Too bad they weren't testing at the time!
It will be interesting to hear what component failed and caused them to abort. Aren't they using 50 year old motors?

The motors are from the Soviet N1 moon rocket.

The same one that exploded on every test launch.

[bugwubber]

"preliminary analysis pointed to a failure of a turbopump" Sounds like OSC is ready to abandon the AJ26 engines. Of course their customers would likely demand it. This puts them out of service to the ISS for at least 2 years.

[U.S. Water Rockets]

"preliminary analysis pointed to a failure of a turbopump" Sounds like OSC is ready to abandon the AJ26 engines. Of course their customers would likely demand it. This puts them out of service to the ISS for at least 2 years.

There was some initial reporting that the turbopump may have ingested a foreign object, but these guys likely took precautions like adding baffles or filters to the fuel lines to prevent this type of thing, so the failure of the pump could be the real answer.

[Maru Ivan Rico]

But why turbopumps? How about they pressurise the chambers to 10,000 psi (yes,they are) ? Then the turbopumps wont be needed. They would only need a regulator to control burn rate, right? They were using old engines anyway.

And if they are already using this design, will anyone cite the name of the rocket?

Thanks