> minor mechanical issue scrub
Engine fuckup is minor. But it’s also uncommon with modern engines. (At this stage, assembled and fuelled on the pad.) SLS’s choice to use an old engine is relevant to the discussion.
Engine fuckup is minor. But it’s also uncommon with modern engines. (At this stage, assembled and fuelled on the pad.) SLS’s choice to use an old engine is relevant to the discussion.
The issue here isn't really an "engine issue", but an issue with putting cold gases through the engine so it's not thermally shocked at ignition-- some combination of lines and valves probably want a different procedure and thermal profile.
This was their 3rd launch window right?
See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-89xl-v0gs&t=2590s for a recent rather larger engine fuckup with the other major launch system under develop.
Still, https://www.noozhawk.com/article/missile_test_ends_in_explos... is a rocket that blew up early last month, 11 seconds into flight. See https://www.space.com/biggest-launch-failures-2021 for a list of notable failures last year.
Failures, particularly with new rockets, are much more common than you believe.
Don’t believe I am. I specifically caveated “at this stage, assembled and fuelled on the pad” because an engine under a fully-assembled rocket has assumptions made about it that one on the test stand obviously does not.
> list of notable failures last year
How many of these are engine failures? None, based on my scan.
The engine can be tested separately. That makes them wildly more predictable in a way the rest of the rocket, which can’t usually be similarly tested, is not. As someone with a background in aerospace engineering, I perk up when someone’s engine fails at the pad, because that—nowadays—shouldn’t happen.