Actually, Craig Bailey was on Cocoa Beach in Florida to photograph the surfers. But at 15.30 local time, a much more exciting motif developed before his eyes: clouds of smoke rose above the nearby Cape Canaveral Air Force Base. By the afternoon there had apparently been a problem with the test rig of the private space company SpaceX. In the meantime it has become clear, at least in outline, what has happened: in a failed test, a "Crew Dragon" capsule has exploded and people have not been harmed.
The exact circumstances of the incident at SpaceX's Landing Zone 1 are under investigation. On the Twitter channels of SpaceX and company founder Elon Musk, there was no information about the backgrounds. However, US media cite from a statement by the company, according to which there had been an "anomaly on the test stand".
After the explosion, Nasa boss Jim Bridenstine wrote on Twitter, such incidents are exactly "the reason why we test." The incident will now be investigated together with SpaceX. "We will learn, make the necessary changes and move our Commercial Crew Program forward."
NASA has been notified of the results of the @SpaceX Static Fire Test and the anomaly that occurred during the final test. We want to work closely with our Commercial Crew Program. pic.twitter.com/yE2J5yGzA7
- Jim Bridenstine (@JimBridenstine) April 21, 2019SpaceX engineers were in the process of preparing an important test scheduled for later in the year. The capsule should show that it can separate itself from an exploded rocket if necessary before or during takeoff and bring the crew aboard. The "Crew Dragon" can rely on eight special engines called "Super Draco" for this maneuver. Maybe there have been problems with them now.
In order for people to be allowed to fly with the "Crew Dragon", SpaceX must successfully demonstrate the technology for a launch abort. A first manned flight was originally scheduled for July 2019. Now the whole project has not only suffered a setback, but also a capsule is missing.
You might also be interested in
The company of Elon Musk now has to consider whether to use a new capsule for the planned start-off test - or whether the model is used, which is actually intended for the first flight with the NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on board was. Then a replacement for this mission would have to be provided swiftly. Because an already flown capsule, which has a start abort test behind it is not used again for the Astronautentransport with SpaceX.
SpaceX and Boeing are working to bring US astronauts back to space as quickly as possible using their own technology and land of their own. They received a billion dollar subsidy from NASA. Since the end of the Space Shuttle program in 2011, Americans have relied on Russian assistance in accessing space. They are buying flight opportunities in "Soyuz" capsules, which will leave from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. So also Europeans, Canadians and Japanese come to the International Space Station.
Boeing also had problems with an unmanned test of the "CST-100 Starliner" capsule. Thus, it is considered likely that the first manned flight with the spaceship can take place at the earliest next year. Even with SpaceX there should now be a longer shift. At NASA you are at least not unprepared. Just recently, the Russian authorities bought two more "Soyuz" flight opportunities for the fall of this year and spring 2020.