SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon launch to the ISS

[LongTomH]

[Posteritatis]

1. Especially amazing that it adjusted on the fly for one of the engines exploding. (nt)

[tridim]

2. Apparently not an explosion, but a shut down..

http://www.businessinsider.com/possible-spacex-falcon-9-engine-explosion-2012-10

UPDATE: SpaceX has released a statement about the anomaly, saying the "explosion" was an engine shutdown due to lost pressure. The engine was shut down automatically and the power and fuel from it was rerouted to the rocket's 8 other engines. The chunks during the explosion seem to the the Engine's Fairing, which protects it from the aerodynamic loads when the engine pressure was released.

Approximately one minute and 19 seconds into last night’s launch, the Falcon 9 rocket detected an anomaly on one first stage engine. Initial data suggests that one of the rocket’s nine Merlin engines, Engine 1, lost pressure suddenly and an engine shutdown command was issued immediately. We know the engine did not explode, because we continued to receive data from it. Our review indicates that the fairing that protects the engine from aerodynamic loads ruptured due to the engine pressure release, and that none of Falcon 9’s other eight engines were impacted by this event.

As designed, the flight computer then recomputed a new ascent profile in real time to ensure Dragon’s entry into orbit for subsequent rendezvous and berthing with the ISS. This was achieved, and there was no effect on Dragon or the cargo resupply mission.

Falcon 9 did exactly what it was designed to do. Like the Saturn V, which experienced engine loss on two flights, Falcon 9 is designed to handle an engine out situation and still complete its mission.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/possible-spacex-falcon-9-engine-explosion-2012-10#ixzz28jdHpakT

[LongTomH]

3. That multi-engine configuration gives Falcon 9 a big reliability advantage compared to other....

....launchers, and this just demonstrates that advantage. That translates into a big safety advantage when they begin carrying astronauts in Dragon!

Compare Falcon 9 to ATK's Ares rocket:

Falcon 9:

• Liquid fuel, engines can be throttled or shut down on command, and
  
• multi-engine, can continue the mission with one or more engines shut down.

Ares:

• Solid-fuel, once you light the candle, you have to ride it out, and
  
• one, count 'em, one engine, and
  
• proven unreliability. Remember Challenger!

[MannyGoldstein]

4. The Apollo rockets could do the same... 50 years ago

And at least one did lose an engine and was fine.

I'm not looking to diminish SpaceX's achievement, but rather am looking to ac knowledge that big government programs can work fantastically!