First Stage Operated Normally As The Spacecraft Disintegrated

More details are emerging from the launch failure Sunday of a SpaceX Falcon 9 booster carrying a Dragon resupply spacecraft to ISS. The booster suffered a catastrophic failure at 2:19 into its flight to orbit.

According to a report from spaceref.biz, telemetry received from the spacecraft shows that the booster's first stage continued to operate normally even as the rocket disintegrated. The Dragon capsule also continued to send telemetry to the ground for some time after the launch failed.

SpaceX also confirmed that about 70 seconds after the mishap occurred, the U.S. Air Force Range Safety Officer initiated a destruct command as part of the SOP, but it was a formality since there was nothing left to destroy.

Over 3,000 channels of telemetry data were being transmitted to the ground when the failure occurred, and the examination of that data is just beginning, according to spaceref.biz. The company is also conducting a detailed review of the particular booster through its manufacture, integration, and processing.

A formal FAA mishap investigation process has been initiated, and the process will include representatives from that agency, SpaceX, NASA, and the U.S. Air Force.

FMI: www.faa.gov, www.spacex.com, www.nasa.gov