The United Launch Alliance (ULA) has identified the cause of an explosion that damaged the upper stage of its Vulcan Centaur rocket in March. It was the 15th test in a series of 45 tests to qualify it for all potential mission profiles.
The company and its CEO, Tory Bruno, recently addressed the details behind the explosion, saying that the Centaur V upper stage failed due to higher stress near the top of the liquid hydrogen propellant tank and slightly weaker welding on the rocket.
With that being said, the company is already looking to fix the spacecraft, which would reportedly be easy, in time for its plans to get it back on track and ready by 2024.
ULA's Centaur V Failed Because of Higher Stress and Weak Welds
Tory Bruno recently revealed what happened on the Centaur V last March via a teleconference with reporters on Thursday. According to Ars Technica, Bruno talked about the root cause of the failure and the steps the company is taking to remediate these lapses on the rocket.
Because of the higher stress and weaker welds, it produced a crack near the top of the dome, causing hydrogen to leak and eventually spread in an enclosed area with a flammable concentration.
"The two things together, higher loads and somewhat lower strength in the weld are what caused the crack to begin," said the ULA CEO.
"The other thing I would ask you to appreciate, since we're being completely transparent here, is how we were already 15 tests in, which is considerably more testing and exposure to many more pressure cycles and lots and lots of more time with the structure sitting under pressure than would ever happen in any single flight," he added.
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ULA Centaur V to Get Back on Track
It is only a minor setback for ULA, as the CEO claimed this would be a relatively easy fix. Near the area of the failure, Tory Bruno said they would add a ring of stainless steel and strips of metal to strengthen it.
He further noted that ULA would perform additional pressure tests to ensure the rocket could take the load. Bruno said they expect the completion of the qualification tests and the launch of Vulcan in a period of four to six weeks.
Its mission is to carry a lunar lander for Astrobotic and two test satellites for Project Kuiper megaconstellation of Amazon. Bruno added that the rocket could be certified for national security missions before mid-2024.
ULA Space Ventures
Alliance has a key meaning in ULA's name, and it is because the almost two-decade space company came from the coalition between Boeing and Lockheed Martin, combining forces for space ventures.
There were earlier talks that ULA is up for sale or acquisition from other companies, with its parent organizations offering it to the likes of Amazon, Blue Origin, and Northrop Grumman.
The Vulcan Centaur rocket assembly development has been pushed back over the years, with ULA initially targeting 2023 as the debut launch phase of the rocket.
Amazon has opted to join this Vulcan Centaur launch to bring its Kuiper satellites to orbit, centering on its start on providing an internet that will beam its signals down to the planet.
ULA is not shy on cosmic missions with NASA and other partners as a commercial contractor for these biddings, especially with its famed Atlas and Delta rockets in the past.
However, in its first take in debuting a reusable rocket for the world with the Vulcan Centaur, the company is encountering difficulties in its development, which include the recent incident.
Related Article: ULA Vulcan Upper Stage Needs More Work, to Return to Factory After Investigation on March Explosion
