Rocket builder cited in fatal explosion (Scaled Composites)

LA Times ^ | 1/18/08 | ap

[BurbankKarl]

The company that flew the first privately funded manned rocket into space has been cited in connection with an explosion last summer that killed three workers, the state said today.

California occupational safety inspectors said in a report that Scaled Composites LLC failed to properly train workers about the dangers of nitrous oxide that was used during a test in July.

The state levied three citations against Scaled, including two that were considered "serious," and fined the spaceship builder $25,870. The company has 15 days to pay or appeal.

Three workers died and three were seriously injured in the explosion at a remote testing facility in the Mojave Desert. The test was part of the development of a new rocket motor for SpaceShipTwo, a passenger vehicle that Mojave-based Scaled is building for Virgin Galactic.

Scaled said it has cooperated with the state and has since made changes to its work force training and procedures.

"Scaled Composites regrets that this accident occurred and we have expressed our condolences to the victims and their families," said Scaled Executive Vice President Doug Shane.

The company was founded in 1982 by maverick aerospace designer Burt Rutan. In 2004, Rutan's SpaceShipOne achieved a milestone in privately financed space flight by climbing more than 62 miles high on a suborbital journey above Mojave. SpaceShipOne went on to make two more flights to win the $10 million Ansari X Prize.

[DoughtyOne]

That’s an interesting aside. I wasn’t aware of that. My thoughts haven’t really traveled along those lines. After giving it some thought, I would imagine insurance policies would have pretty well taken care of the families. If not, I suppose this would be a reasoned course to follow.

I simply want some responsibility taken, some folks to be taken to task for making poor decisions, and a renewal of planning processes.

It had seemed to me that some rather obvious preventative and reaction planning had massive gaps in them.

I’m not a vindictive person, but I am a person who expects folks to face reponsibility and penalties for major screwups.

Thanks for your response.

[anymouse]

Space ping

[gondramB]

>>This is an example of how private space tourism is going to be very tough. It can be done, but accidents will be huge.<<

And the $25,000 is a drop in the bucket - the civil suit may be a hundred times that or more.

[RightWhale]

Yes, the fine is merely placing blame. The civil suit will be a slam dunk and the question how much this will cost the parties.

[KevinDavis]