Launches are difficult, but at least now that all rockets are sending highly detailed live telemetry back to headquarters, teams can know in days or weeks what caused a failed launch. Case in point: Virgin Orbit was the first to launch from British soil last month and was heavily touted, but it didn’t make it to orbit—apparently because the fuel filter he had one loose.
In an update posted on its website today, Virgin Orbit said it was the first to do so at every step leading up to the issue, including ignition, first stage flight, stage separation, second stage ignition and fair deployment. was done perfectly. A terminating error may occur.
But that’s when things get nominal:
Data show that from the beginning of the first combustion of the second stage, the fuel filter in the fuel supply line was out of its normal position.
Additional data indicates that the fuel pump downstream of the filter was operating at a reduced efficiency level, causing the Newton 4 engine to run out of fuel. This anomalous behavior caused the engine to run significantly above its rated engine temperature.
Components downstream and near the abnormally hot engine eventually failed, prematurely terminating second stage thrust.
Mission lost due to lack of filters. A successful launch vehicle is a collection of thousands of moving parts, working with perfect precision, or at least within tolerances.
A fuel filter that isn’t properly secured or has a minor manufacturing defect that causes shimmy loose will cause a butterfly to flap its wings and create a hurricane downstream. Everything happens in a matter of seconds, but the data sent back is clear enough when the engineer has time to review it later.
So what is the solution? At least the new fuel filter is what Virgin Orbit CEO Dan Hart says:
“Our investigation is not yet complete … but we have understood many clear clues from our extensive data evaluation, and we are now modifying our next rocket with more robust filters to reduce the risk of mission failure. All trusted contributors have been eradicated and addressed.
Therefore, they will “proceed cautiously” towards the next launch from the United States. A commercial payload, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks.
