SpaceX’s Unnerving Silence on an Explosive Incident

The Atlantic ^ | 4/30/19 | MARINA KOREN

[Yossarian]

(...)

More than a week after the explosion, SpaceX remains silent about the incident. At this moment, even an “anomaly” in its test capsule should rattle the engineers, astronauts, and administrators invested in Dragon’s success. SpaceX was well on its way to launching American astronauts into space, a historic first in U.S. spaceflight history.

(...)

Barely two months ago, the same capsule was docked to the International Space Station, circling Earth. It arrived without people—this was only its first flight, after all—but plenty of fresh supplies, and the astronauts on the station opened the hatches and floated in. Several days later, the Dragon returned to Earth and parachuted to the Atlantic Ocean, ready for more tests, in preparation for a flight with people on board.

(...)

The first SpaceX launch of American astronauts will be celebrated not only as a win for the commercial space agency, but also as a national achievement, a dazzling showing of American ability. A lack of transparency, a frequent hallmark of private technology companies, won’t work here.

[Yossarian]

Isn't it possible that the rescue rockets weren't even fueled up on the unmanned trip to the ISS, hence the ISS was in no danger from that at least.

The escape-system SuperDraco engines and the maneuvering thruster Draco engines share the same fuel source. To use the SuperDracos for escape use, it's possible the fuel system is "driven" in a different way, possibly pumped up to high pressure so they can immediately fire with high thrust. But they share the same fuel tanks.

[Political Junkie Too]

I don't know. Like I said, I haven't been following the story.

-PJ

[amorphous]

I’m pretty sure the abort system on this capsule uses the same propellants as its control trusters and control trusters on the ISS.

[fieldmarshaldj]

*ping*

[Moonman62]

The Dracos have a perfect safety record, and, in general, hypergolics have decades of use in spaceflight. They are extremely stable when they are are in the tanks.

Fuel tank sizes, locations, and pressures may also make Dracos safer than Superdracos.

[SunTzuWu]

This is a used capsule which has been immersed in sea water. Human crew DO NOT fly in used capsules.
Spacex has been more than transparent in all stages of their program.
As soon as they have something to report, you will hear about it.

[fella]

ChiCom sabotage.

[Teacher317]

No, disagree. Not when it is done for a taxpayer-funded program

So anytime our behemoth federal government touches anything, it automatically becomes a public concern, and must require transparency far greater than government ever provides? Sorry, no.

[Yossarian]

So anytime our behemoth federal government touches anything, it automatically becomes a public concern, and must require transparency far greater than government ever provides? Sorry, no.

Good God, do you people ever look at context?!?!

Crewed Dragon Capsule visits hyper-expensive, human carrying International Space Station.

Soon after, during a ground test, for some yet unknown and/or unpublished reason, said capsule goes BOOM!, obliterating the entire capsule.

Crewed Dragon Capsule shares many systems with Cargo Dragon Capsule.

Cargo Dragon Capsule is about to revisit the hyper-expensive, human carrying International Space Station.

To not think some transparency and common-sense precaution is required in this situation is delusional.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks fieldmarshaldj. Since they don't need the superdracos for propulsive landing any longer (NASA nixed that), they should consider slapping on a tower jet which is a proven way to safely abort. And I don't believe it ever had to be used. And it certainly didn't blow up for no apparent reason.