Quote:
...something almost immediately went wrong with the launch, and the three-stage rocket appeared to fly off course before its RD-171 main engine switched off about 25 seconds after liftoff, apparently as a safety measure.[...] the three-stage launcher, flying uncontrolled and unpowered, hit the water near the Odyssey platform. No injuries or damage to Sea Launch's ground equipment were reported
Is this the end for SeaLaunch? Sad, because I quite liked the concept... financially sustainable or not.
rfields5421 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 6150 posts, RR: 25 Reply 2, posted (3 months 2 weeks 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 2662 times:
jollo From Italy, joined Aug 2011, 178 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 months 2 weeks 16 hours ago) and read 2175 times:
Quoting ZANL188 (Reply 1): I'd love to see pix or video of this one....
If you follow the link in the OP you'll find a video of the entire flight. After 15 seconds it's already obvious to the naked eye that something is amiss...
Quoting rfields5421 (Reply 2): The first failure in six years, and 10 successful launches.
Yes but... also the first launch failure after the spectacular one that pushed SeaLaunch into bankruptcy, debt restructuring, Boeing bailing out, etc.
Quoting NBGSkyGod (Reply 3): I don't see this as a reason to call SeaLaunch a failure at all
A failure isn't reason enough per se, but an empty launch backlog is... Anyone knows what else is booked to fly with SeaLaunch?
Areopagus From United States of America, joined Sep 2001, 1357 posts, RR: 1 Reply 5, posted (3 months 2 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 1998 times:
Quoting jollo (Reply 4): Anyone knows what else is booked to fly with SeaLaunch?
Well, that same Spaceflight Now story says:
Quote: But the launch services firm, which broke into the market in 1999, had no specific satellites assigned to its rockets after Intelsat 27. It has an agreement with AsiaSat of Hong Kong as a backup launch provider for one of two AsiaSat payloads booked to fly on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket.
Intelsat 27 being the one they just dropped into the drink. So it looks pretty grim. What customer will want to sign up now for their next flight?
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From Italy, joined Aug 2011, 178 posts, 
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