Sympathy to the Brasilians after the explosion at their rocket launch site

I was so hoping to watch the launch on the internet.

Damn, 19 people killed..............but the question of how a rocket accidentally ignites will no doubt come down to human stupidity.......that will make no difference to the family's of those family members who've been lost. Hopefully the 20 others hurt will mend and continue on toward space. As we've seen with Columbia and Challenger, space is expensive in many ways. Godspeed/

Chuck

So was this rocket liqid or solid?

Lightning or static?

Jerry

From the MASA Planet, V6, #1

"...The rocket consists of seven solid propellant stages?three in the core vehicle and four strap-ons?with additional solid motors used for roll control. The first launch attempt was at Brazil's Alcantara site on 2 November 1997, but one of the SRBs failed to ignite.... Although the rocket maintained attitude and an upright trajectory, it eventually deviated from its planned course and the rocket and its SCD satellite payload had to be destroyed. The second launch, on

11 December 1999, was more successful, but the second stage failed to ignite and the rocket and payload, a Brazilian SACI satellite, again had to be destroyed. A third launch attempt may occur in 2003. "

At least one fatal rocket accident occurred during prelaunch checkout when a continuity test of the igniter was made using faulty equipment. [Orion sounding rocket in Sweden; See Volume 5, number 3 of the Planet for more details].

Given that the past two launches have failed due to ignition failures, I bet they were being extremely rigorous about ignition testing. Perhaps too rigorous? MSNBC has a photo from Brazilian TV appears to show a vertical smoke trail from a solid rocket. Let's hope history didn't repeat itself.

--tc

Absolutely. I just heard and it makes me sick.

I hope they will be able to recover and continue on.

I'm still not clear on how it happened. Since it wasn't due to launch for a few days, why would it already be sitting fueled on the pad? Or was it?

Randy

SRBs are fueled ahead of time. Another poster indicated that they've had trouble with SRB ignition in the past.

I don't know if this is what happened to them, but concern about one problem can create it's opposite problem.

Zooty

It appears to be all solid:

God speed.

Rocky Firth

This is a four-stage vehicle which I understand is all solid, with a liquid RCS motor on the upper stage.

I have a hard time understanding how something like this could happen.

Thanks. This catastrophe retard the Brasilian rocket program for ten years.

Today is the birthday of World Trade Center catastrophe.

"Os meus mais sinceros respeitos ao povo Norte Americano."

Best regards.

Edson

Obrigato, Edson. Thank you for remembering us on this day.

Two years ago today, I was at the staging area for the Flight 93 crash site. It brings back a lot of memories.

The contrast is striking. On one hand, you have the deaths of the Brasilian scientists, the Columbia astronauts, and how many others, trying to build a future of hope for the world.

On the other, you have the suicides of a few deluded fanatics, hoping to kill as many people as possible to build a future of terror, despair, and destruction.

Zooty

PS: What's model rocketry like in Brasil?