SpaceX CRS-7 launch fails

Cape Canaveral, Florida – Following a nominal liftoff Sunday, June 28, 2015, the SpaceX Falcon 9 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station experienced a problem shortly before first stage shutdown, resulting in loss of mission. Preliminary analysis suggests the vehicle experienced an overpressure event in the upper stage liquid oxygen tank approximately 139 seconds into flight. Telemetry indicates first stage flight was nominal and that Dragon remained healthy for some period of time following separation, according to SpaceX officials.

 

SpaceX teams are reviewing data to determine root cause and promised to provide more information following a thorough fault tree analysis. SpaceX’s Hans Koenigsmann will lead the investigation into the Commercial Resupply Services 7 (CRS-7) launch anomaly. 

 

The Dragon spacecraft was filled with 4,116 lb of supplies and payloads, including critical materials to directly support over 30 student research investigations and more than 35 of approximately 250 science and research investigations that will occur during Expeditions 44 and 45.

 

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said, “We are disappointed in the loss of the latest SpaceX cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. However, the astronauts are safe aboard the station and have sufficient supplies for the next several months. We will work closely with SpaceX to understand what happened, fix the problem, and return to flight. The commercial cargo program was designed to accommodate loss of cargo vehicles.”

 

A Russian Progress vehicle is ready to launch July 3, followed in August by a Japanese HTV flight. Orbital ATK, NASA’s other commercial cargo partner, is moving ahead with plans for its next launch later this year.

 

“This is a reminder that spaceflight is an incredible challenge, but we learn from each success and each setback,” Bolden added.

 

Read a moment-by-moment account of the failed launch here.