SpaceX Demo 1 Flown Crew Dragon was Test Vehicle Impacted in Static Fire Test Anomaly at Cape: Photos

SpaceX static fire testing anomaly April 20, 2019 impacted Demo-1 Crew Vehicle sends smoke billowing into the skies over Cape Canaveral, FL. Credit: Craig Bailey/Florida Today

Ken Kremer -- SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM – 21 April 2019

CAPE CANAVERAL/KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL  – The recently launched and recovered SpaceX Demo-1 crew vehicle spacecraft was in fact the test vehicle impacted in the April 20 testing anomaly failure at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station - - Space UpClose has confirmed - that sent smoke billowing into the skies without warning and suffered potentially catastrophic destruction on the test stand during static fire testing of the Super Draco thrusters.

The failed test will almost certainly delay the inaugural astronaut launch on the SpaceX Demo 2 mission planned for NET (no earlier than) this summer from Launch Complex39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. 

NASA and SpaceX immediately formed an investigation task force to determine the cause of the accident, apply lessons learned and fix what’s wrong to ensure the safety and the lives of our brave astronaut crews.  

Apparently nothing usable for a space launch remains of the SpaceX Demo-1 Crew Vehicle as a result of what appears to be a sudden destructive event at the end of a series of static fire tests that had apparently gone very well until the very last test that day.

The lead photo above was taken during the anomaly event Saturday afternoon, April 20, by my colleague Craig Bailey for Florida Today while covering a local surfing event showing unsuspecting Cape Canaveral beachgoers frolicking in the foreground and thick clouds of orange smoke rising uncontrollably in the background.  

SpaceX had planned to reuse the Demo-1 spacecraft for the critical In Flight Abort Test planned for NET June as a key milestone to be achieved prior to launching a Crew Dragon with NASA astronauts aboard on the inaugural ferry flight test to the International Space Station (ISS) and back. 

See herein my photos from the triumphantly successful Demo-1 prelaunch, launch and recovery phases arriving into Port Canaveral, FL in March 2019. 

An unconfirmed video circulating on the internet appears to show the static fire test in progress ending with a catastrophic explosion and fire and virtually complete destruction of the SpaceX Demo-1 Crew Vehicle at about T Minus 8 seconds. 

However the exact condition of the Demo-1 capsule is not known at this time because SpaceX has not revealed any details at all. 

Up Close view of SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft bolted atop Falcon 9 rocket with Crew Access Arm astronaut walkway in position after being raised vertical at NASA’s historic Launch Complex 39A in Florida on March 1, 2019 ahead of scheduled maiden liftoff March 2 at 2:49 a.m. EST on critical unpiloted test flight on Demo-1 mission. This vehicle apparently destroyed during static fire test anomaly failure on Apr. 20, 2019 on Landing Zone-1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Initial data reviews carried out by SpaceX engineers indicate the anomaly occurred during the actual SuperDraco static fire test – which was the last in a series that day.  

But much further additional and wide ranging reviews will be required to determine the probable cause – which is not known at this time.  

Scorched SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-1 capsule on deck of GO Searcher recovery ship arrives into Port Canaveral, FL late evening March 9, 2019 some 35 hours after splashdown at 8:45 a.m. EST March 8, in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 230 miles northeast of Cape Canaveral, Florida and hoisting on deck. This vehicle apparently destroyed during static fire test anomaly failure on Apr. 20, 2019 on Landing Zone-1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The incident was first reported by Florida Today late Saturday afternoon and confirmed to Space UpClose by both the 45^th Space Wing of the US Air Force and SpaceX a short time later.   

NASA also issued a statement later Saturday from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine confirming that SpaceX was conducting static fire testing involving the Super Draco engines on the Crew Dragon test vehicle. 

Up Close view of SpaceX Falcon 9 Crew Dragon with Crew Access Arm astronaut walkway in position after being raised vertical atop Falcon 9 rocket at NASA KSC  historic Launch Complex 39A in Florida on March 1, 2019 ahead of maiden liftoff March 2 on critical unpiloted test flight on Demo-1 mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

There were no injuries according to SpaceX and the Air Force during Saturday’s incident which took place during a static test firing sequence involving the vehicles Super Draco abort engines at Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

SpaceX will continue to work closely with their NASA partners to thoroughly review the test data and implement corrective actions as the investigation has commenced and continues into the foreseeable future.

SpaceX  policy is to take lessons learned from this test – and their overall rigorous comprehensive test campaign – to ensure Crew Dragon is one of the safest human spaceflight vehicles ever built.

The Super Draco abort engines are intended to save the astronauts lives in case of a catastrophic rocket emergency by quickly pulling the Crew Dragon vehicle away from the failing rocket in a split second before they are killed or injured. 

Water reflection launch view as SpaceX Falcon 9 soars off Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 2:49 a.m. EST, March 2, 2019 carrying the company’s first commercially-built and operated Crew Dragon spacecraft to orbit for docking with the International Space Station (ISS) - as seen from VAB roof.  This vehicle apparently destroyed during static fire test anomaly failure on Apr. 20, 2019 on Landing Zone-1 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The commercial Crew Dragon vehicle is being developed under a contract awarded to SpaceX by NASA back in 2014 with the goal of returning US human spaceflight capabilities in a safe, reliable and cost effective manner. 

That capability to launch humans to space was lost since the forced retirement of NASA’s Space Shuttle fleet in 2011. 

The SpaceX Crew Dragon was intended to launch American astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) from US soil later this year- for the first time since NASA’s space shuttles were retired in 2011. 

Those plans by NASA and SpaceX may now be delayed, but the exact impact is unclear at this time pending the results of an investigation. 

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon raised vertical with Crew Access Arm in position at NASA’s historic Launch Complex 39A in Florida on March 1, 2019 ahead of maiden liftoff March 2 on critical unpiloted test flight on Demo-1 mission. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Watch my SpaceX Demo-1 Crew Dragon launch video here:

Video Caption: Maiden launch of SpaceX Falcon 9 carrying unpiloted commercially-built Crew Dragon on Demo-1 test flight for NASA to the International Space Station. Crew Dragon lifted off at 2:49 a.m. EST, March 2, 2019 from Launch Complex-39A on NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida - as seen in this video camera stationed at the pad. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The next SpaceX launch to the ISS on the Dragon CRS-17 resupply mission for NASA is still targeting April 30. 

Watch my commentary at Fox 35 TV News Orlando about the SpaceX Crew Dragon testing failure here and the implications for delay in future Crew Dragon test flights here:

http://www.fox35orlando.com/news/local-news/spacex-capsule-that-is-expected-to-be-the-future-of-manned-missions-suffers-an-explosion

Dr. Ken Kremer/Space UpClose interviewed on Fox 35 WOFL TV News on 22 April about the SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-1 vehicle Super Draco engine testing failure that took place on 20 April 2019. Screenshot: Ken Kremer/WOFL

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com

Dr. Kremer is a research scientist and journalist based in the KSC area, active in outreach and interviewed regularly on TV and radio about space topics.

………….
Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events

Learn more about the upcoming/recent SpaceX Demo-1 launch and test failure, SpaceX Falcon 9/CRS-17 launch to ISS, Falcon 9 Beresheet launch, USAF GPS 3-01, NASA missions, ULA Atlas & Delta launches, SpySats and more at Ken’s upcoming outreach events at Quality Inn Kennedy Space Center, Titusville, FL, evenings: 

Apr 28-30: “SpaceX Falcon 9 Demo-1 and Beresheet launch, Dragon CRS-17 resupply launch to ISS, SpaceX Falcon Heavy & Falcon 9 launches, upcoming SpaceX Falcon 9 ULA, NRO & USAF Spysats, SLS, Orion, Boeing and SpaceX Commercial crew capsules, OSIRIS-Rex, Juno at Jupiter, InSight Mars lander, Curiosity and Opportunity explore Mars, NH at Pluto, Ultima Thule, Kuiper Belt and more,” Kennedy Space Center Quality Inn, Titusville, FL, evenings. Photos for sale