New Questions about the SpaceX Explosion

I was surprised to read a Washington Post piece stating the United Launch Alliance (UAL) was part of the investigation surrounding the September 1st Falcon rocket explosion 

The article, titled "Implication of Sabotage Adds Intrigue to SpaceX Investigation," stated investigators wanted access to a UAL facility:

As part of the investigation, SpaceX officials had come across something suspicious they wanted to check out, according to three industry officials with knowledge of the episode. SpaceX had still images from video that appeared to show an odd shadow, then a white spot on the roof of a nearby building belonging to ULA, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

The piece also notes the ongoing rivalry between the firms. 

This is very odd, but hopefully just the results of a very wide investigation rather than real suspicions about a competitor.  We have enough issues with foreign spying and competition without any issues stateside.

One can understand frustration at UAL given SpaceX's rise, as noted in this story from April: 

United Launch Alliance plans to cut up to 875 jobs, or about one-quarter of its workforce, before the end of 2017 to better compete against rivals bankrolled by billionaire entrepreneurs including Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, ULA's chief executive said on Thursday.

That said, we still need to see this as an American initiative if not an Earth initiative as we plans for a trip to Mars.  I expect all the competitors understand this and will play by the rules.   

SpaceX: Success!

SpaceX has done it!  Earlier today the space company's Falcon 9 rocket successfully landed on a drone platform off the coast of Florida following a successful launch of a Dragon cargo ship towards the International Space Station. Long-awaited good news for all. 

President Obama was also impressed, tweeting:

Congrats SpaceX on landing a rocket at sea. It's because of innovators like you & NASA that America continues to lead in space exploration.

— President Obama (@POTUS) April 8, 2016

Update:  The Dragon cargo ship safely arrived at the International Space Station yesterday (April 10th).  One of the items delivered is BEAM, or the Bigelow Expandable Activity Module, which will serve as inflatable space habitat attached to the station.

Space X Gets Closer

Following the successful launch of cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) earlier this week, SpaceX again attempted to land the Falcon 9 rocket onto a floating platform.  As the image above shows, it almost happened.  Unfortunately, as shown in the photo below, it was close but not close enough.  Here is the complete video.  Kudos to SpaceX for getting a coffee machine, and other supplies, to the ISS via the Dragon. 

SpaceX Delays Returns to the Space Station

After a delay earlier this month, SpaceX was scheduled to its third resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 30th.  However, the mission, SpaceX-3 (pictured here), has been delayed again due to an electrical short in the tracking radar. According to the U.S. Air Force:

A mandatory range asset supporting the NROL-67 launch went offline, March 24, 2014. An investigation revealed a tracking radar experienced an electrical short, overheating the unit and rendering it inoperable. The outage resulted in an inability to meet minimum public safety requirements needed for flight, so the launch was postponed.

Initial assessment indicates repair of the tracking radar will take approximately three weeks. The Air Force is evaluating the feasibility of returning an inactive radar to full mission capability to resume operations sooner. The launch schedule impact is to be determined, pending resolution of the anomaly. Early indications are all launches scheduled for FY14 will be supported. More information will be provided as it becomes available.

The launch, originally schedule for March 16, will provide the ISS with a variety of needed items while also delivering and removing scientific cargo.  According to SpaceX, the Dragon cargo includes:

 ...about 4,600 pounds of supplies and payloads, including critical materials to support more than150 investigations that will occur during Expeditions 39 and 40. Dragon will carry four powered cargo payloads in its pressurized section and two in its unpressurized trunk, a first for SpaceX. Dragon will return with about 3,600 pounds of cargo, which includes crew supplies, hardware and computer resources, science experiments, biotechnology,and space station hardware.

 Science payloads include the Optical Payload for Lasercomm Science (OPALS), which will test the use of laser optics to transfer information to Earth from space; the Vegetable Production System (VEGGIE), a unit capable of producing salad-type vegetables in space; and the T-Cell Activation in Aging experiment that seeks the cause of a depression in the human immune system while astronauts are in microgravity. In addition, the High Definition Earth Viewing (HDEV) investigation includes four high-definition cameras to be placed on the space station’s exterior for use in streaming live video of Earth for online viewing.

Go here for the completed press kit from SpaceX.  You can also stay up to date on the mission via NASA's SpaceX Blog.