Northrop Grumman’s new rocket suffers small explosion during first big ignition test

The Verge ^ | May 30, 2019, | Loren Grush@lorengrush

[BenLurkin]

Northrop Grumman’s first big test of its future OmegA rocket seems to have ended in a small explosion. Today, the company fired up the main engine on the rocket during a ground test in Utah. Toward the end of the test, part of the vehicle’s engine burst apart, sending pieces of hardware flying.

Today’s test is what is known as a static fire, when the engine of a rocket is ignited while the vehicle is held firmly to the ground. Northrop Grumman was conducting the very first static fire test of the OmegA’s first stage — the main body of the rocket with the primary engine attached to the end. The first stage was ignited horizontally at Northrop Grumman’s test facility in Promontory, Utah, with the goal of testing out all of the rocket’s systems as one functioning unit.

“we observed the exit cone and maybe a portion of it doing something a little strange.”

The ignition lasted for a full 122 seconds, sending flames and plumes of gas out into the Utah desert. But just before the firing shut off, the nozzle of the OmegA engine — the large cylindrical cone that the gas and fire flow through — seemingly exploded. Northrop Grumman claims that the test was still successful, despite “an observation noted at the very end of test,” involving the nozzle.

Image: YouTube/Northrop Grumman

[null and void]

Northrop Grumman claims that the test was still successful, despite “an observation noted at the very end of test,” involving the nozzle.

‘That’ll buff right out’ observed one engineer...

[caltaxed]

Northrop Grumman claims that the test was still successful as the team scored an average of 93 percent on the team inclusion score, and all members successfully completed their safety and diversity training.

The actual rocket motor test had the lowest weighting and was not a significant program milestone.

[Kickass Conservative]

Looks like it farted. Probably too much gas.

[_Jim]

And that’s ... why ... we ... WHAT? ... test ...

[tcrlaf]

Ice buildup?

[Magic Fingers]

An excellent example of how corporations will spin the data to justify their idiocy. Been there, done that, gratefully retired...

[StAnDeliver]

Either overthrust or Chinese steel or both...

[bgill]

It was a hold muh beer moment.

[StAnDeliver]

Wait no, was that a shutdown burp that flexed the motor ring beyond capacity? The protective wall (separating the nozzle from the propellant tanks) that makes the circle around the nozzles disintegrated, particularly from 12 oclock to 5 oclock. Note the debris is white.

[Daffy]

Big test, small explosion.

[Rio]

I haven’t been able to find... What is the fuel for this rocket?

[Ozark Tom]

Tested ceramic nozzle designated to replace the legacy metal nozzle used on all shuttle launches. This is a five segment motor for Space Launch System. Shuttle used four segment build. Grumman bought Orbital ATK thus acquiring their problem-child.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin.

It was the first test of a new Castor 600 rocket engine which is supposed to power the first stage of the OmegA rocket. During a static fire test the exhaust nozzle disintegrated towards the end of the test. According to the post flight press conference the test was considered successful despite the 'observation'. | Northrop Grumman's OmegA Rocket Fails During Static Fire Test | Scott Manley | Published on May 31, 2019

• The full test livestream
• Omegaaaad - OmegA Rocket Test Failure - First Stage Nozzle Disintegrates

[SunkenCiv]

Scott Manley tells all about the fuel, etc:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3753607/posts?page=14#14

[BenLurkin]

Great video!

[SunkenCiv]

Glad you'd posted this topic, saved me a ton of work. :^) Luckily, I did a search first. I like that GIF animation you used.