Rocket suffers ‘irrecoverable damage’ in fire at Kodiak spaceport

An RS1 rocket from ABL Space Systems group up connected a motorboat pad astatine nan Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska. (Courtesy ABL Space Systems)

A occurrence past week caused “irrecoverable damage” to a rocket that was initially expected to motorboat this summertime from nan Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska connected Kodiak Island.

According to a property merchandise from nan Alaska Aerospace Corporation, which operates nan spaceport, a Friday crushed trial went awry astatine nan Narrow Cape installation erstwhile a occurrence developed connected a motorboat pad during a regular crushed trial astatine astir 8:30 p.m.

The occurrence was “brief” and location were nary injuries aliases damages to nan infrastructure astatine nan complex. The Pacific Spaceport Complex-Alaska has its ain trained first responders connected tract and they were capable to afloat incorporate nan occurrence successful a timely mode according to nan corporation.

John Oberst, Alaska Aerospace’s CEO, said a fixed occurrence started successful a rocket astatine 1 of nan motorboat pads connected tract astatine Area 3, but precisely why nan regular trial grounded is unknown.

“It was a crushed trial and it did impact a mini long motor fires, which intends starting nan engine. But beyond that I would person to person nan motorboat supplier supply that information,” Oberst said. “It was a normal test, testing nan engine, and yes nan engines were lit.”

This was not a rocket launch, conscionable a regular trial for a rocket owned by ABL Space Systems. After nan grounded test, the institution said connected societal media that this peculiar rocket was damaged beyond repair, meaning it won’t beryllium usable for a early launch.

ABL Space Systems is focusing its efforts connected nan motorboat marketplace to nonstop mini satellites into abstraction via its RS1 rocket. According to nan company’s website, nan rocket is 88 feet gangly and tin transportation a payload of 2,975 pounds to debased Earth orbit.

ABL was expected to motorboat an RS1 from nan spaceport connected Kodiak Island astatine immoderate constituent this summer. It had pushed nan timeline backmost arsenic much tests were completed successful nan past fewer months. According to Payloadspace.com, Scout Space wanted to nonstop its first standalone spacecraft to orbit aboard nan rocket’s 3rd flight, perchance wrong nan adjacent six months.

Now, Oberst said it’s improbable nan institution will beryllium capable to motorboat a rocket earlier nan extremity of this year.

This is nan 2nd mishap for nan California aerospace institution astatine Kodiak’s spaceport. In January of 2023, ABL attempted, unsuccessfully, to motorboat an RS1 carrying mini satellites. The rocket’s guidelines power shield was overloaded, unopen down each 9 of its engines, and crash-landed connected nan motorboat pad. That clang destroyed nan rocket and did important harm to nan surrounding spaceport infrastructure.

Despite nan setback for ABL past week, Oberst said this grounded trial and consequent occurrence won’t impact plans for different companies to motorboat rockets astatine nan spaceport adjacent year.

“As we move into 2025, nan almanac year, we’ll spot different customers retired location and they won’t person arsenic overmuch elasticity arsenic they’ve had successful nan past. And they cognize that,” Oberst said. “So I expect a fewer launches adjacent year, some commercialized and government, and hopefully (ABL) will beryllium 1 of them.”

A post-test reappraisal is presently underway pinch aggregate agencies involved. Oberst said a backstage contractor is connected tract reviewing ungraded samples and determining what nan consequence of biology contamination is from this grounded test. He adds that astir of nan substance onboard that could person spilled from nan rocket was consumed by nan fire.