. 24/7 Space News .
ROCKET SCIENCE
NASA investigation finds cause of two science mission launch failures
by Staff Writers
Washington DC (SPX) May 01, 2019

On Space Launch Complex 576-E at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, Orbital Sciences workers monitor NASA's Glory upper stack as a crane lifts it from a stationary rail for attachment to the Taurus XL rocket's Stage 0.

NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) investigators have determined the technical root cause for the Taurus XL launch failures of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) and Glory missions in 2009 and 2011, respectively: faulty materials provided by aluminum manufacturer, Sapa Profiles, Inc. (SPI).

LSP's technical investigation led to the involvement of NASA's Office of the Inspector General and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). DOJ's efforts, recently made public, resulted in the resolution of criminal charges and alleged civil claims against SPI, and its agreement to pay $46 million to the U.S. government and other commercial customers. This relates to a 19-year scheme that included falsifying thousands of certifications for aluminum extrusions to hundreds of customers.

NASA's updated public summary of the launch failures, which was published Tuesday, comes after a multiyear technical investigation by LSP and updates the previous public summaries on the Taurus XL launch failures for the OCO and Glory missions. Those public summaries concluded that the launch vehicle fairing - a clamshell structure that encapsulates the satellite as it travels through the atmosphere - failed to separate on command, but no technical root cause had been identified.

From NASA's investigation, it is now known that SPI altered test results and provided false certifications to Orbital Sciences Corporation, the manufacturer of the Taurus XL, regarding the aluminum extrusions used in the payload fairing rail frangible joint. A frangible joint is a structural separation system that is initiated using ordnance.

"NASA relies on the integrity of our industry throughout the supply chain. While we do perform our own testing, NASA is not able to retest every single component. That is why we require and pay for certain components to be tested and certified by the supplier," said Jim Norman, NASA's director for Launch Services at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "When testing results are altered and certifications are provided falsely, missions fail.

In our case, the Taurus XLs that failed for the OCO and Glory missions resulted in the loss of more than $700 million, and years of people's scientific work. It is critical that we are able to trust our industry to produce, test and certify materials in accordance with the standards we require. In this case, our trust was severely violated."

To protect the government supply chain, NASA suspended SPI from government contracting and proposed SPI for government-wide debarment. The exclusion from government contracting has been in effect since Sept. 30, 2015. NASA also has proposed debarment for Hydro Extrusion Portland, Inc.,formerly known as SPI,and the company currently is excluded from contracting throughout the federal government.

"Due in large part to the hard work and dedication of many highly motivated people in the NASA Launch Services program, we are able to close out the cause of two extremely disappointing launch vehicle failures and protect the government aerospace supply chain," said Amanda Mitskevich, LSP program manager at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in, Florida.

"It has taken a long time to get here, involving years of investigation and testing, but as of today, it has been worth every minute, and I am extremely pleased with the entire team's efforts."

To learn more about NASA's Launch Services Program, visit here


Related Links
Public summary of OCO/Glorylaunch failures
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com


Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly


paypal only
SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once


credit card or paypal


ROCKET SCIENCE
NASA accelerates pace of Core Stage production with new tool
New Orleans LA (SPX) Apr 23, 2019
The boat-tail structure, a fairing-like cover designed to protect the bottom end of the core stage and the RS-25 engines, has been joined to one of the most complicated and intricate parts of NASA's Space Launch System, the engine section. The engine section comprises the lowest portion of the massive core stage of the deep space rocket. It houses four RS-25 engines that will produce 2 million pounds of thrust to send the rocket and NASA's Orion spacecraft on lunar missions. Technicians moved the ... read more

Comment using your Disqus, Facebook, Google or Twitter login.



Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle

ROCKET SCIENCE
Photobioreactor: oxygen and a source of nutrition for astronauts

New concept for novel fire extinguisher in space

Music for space

NASA astronaut to set record for longest spaceflight by a woman

ROCKET SCIENCE
NASA investigation finds cause of two science mission launch failures

SpaceX, NASA tight-lipped on cause of crew capsule incident

Controlling instabilities gives closer look at chemistry from hypersonic vehicles

NASA accelerates pace of Core Stage production with new tool

ROCKET SCIENCE
InSight lander captures audio of first likely 'quake' on Mars

All-woman engineering team heads to NASA Mars competition

A small step for China: Mars base for teens opens in desert

Things Are Stacking Up for NASA's Mars 2020 Spacecraft

ROCKET SCIENCE
China to build moon station in 'about 10 years'

China to enhance international space cooperation

China opens Chang'e-6 for international payloads, asteroids next

China's commercial carrier rocket finishes engine test

ROCKET SCIENCE
Satellite Constellations and Radio Astronomy

Iridium Awarded Gateway Support and Maintenance Contract by the U.S. Department of Defense

The Third Installment of the SpaceFund Reality (SFR) rating

ESA opening up to new ideas

ROCKET SCIENCE
NASA Awards PathFinder Digital Contract to Study Free Space Optics

Ice-proof coating for big structures relies on a 'beautiful demonstration of mechanics'

Squid skin inspires creation of next-generation space blanket

Coffee machine helped physicists to make ion traps more efficient

ROCKET SCIENCE
Slime mold memorizes foreign substances by absorbing them

Necrophagy: A means of survival in the Dead Sea

Oil-eating bacteria found at the bottom of the ocean

Explosion on Jupiter-sized star 10 times more powerful than ever seen on our sun

ROCKET SCIENCE
Next-Generation NASA Instrument Advanced to Study the Atmospheres of Uranus and Neptune

Public Invited to Help Name Solar System's Largest Unnamed World

Europa Clipper High-Gain Antenna Undergoes Testing

Scientists to Conduct Largest-Ever Hubble Survey of the Kuiper Belt









The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.