Here's the instant the first stage exploded, as seen from the south,
after it flew through the second stage propellant cloud.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/wikkit/19311005865/
It was so instantaneous and symmetric compared to the second stage
that it seems like range safety must have finally pushed the big red
button. It would have been interesting to see if it could have done
the landing maneuvers after what could be called a mildly off-nominal
staging event. Though the gimbals must have been going a bit nuts
considering the huge change in moment of inertia and CG.
The fluttering stuff just looks like pieces of tank. The dragon-shaped
and dragon-sized object that can be seen falling away while the first
stage is still running seems more likely to be Dragon.
On Wed, Jul 1, 2015 at 1:20 PM, Redacted sender JMKrell@xxxxxxx for
DMARC <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
After extensive review of both the NASA and SpaceX video feeds this is an
approximate timeline of events starting at the event.
T-0 Vapor emerges from two locations at top of 2nd stage. Vapor is
ejecting under high pressure. Assumption that vapor is LOX venting.
T+1.8 Fireball appears in vapor cloud. Indicating RP-1 is being vented
simultaneously with LOX.
T+4.51 Fireball extinguished. Vapor still venting at reduced flow rate.
1st stage continues thrusting.
T+7.28 Second fireball at 2nd stage level of vehicle. Symmetrical shape of
fireball and resulting vapor cloud indicate probable collapse of 2nd stage
tanks due to aerodynamic pressure load.
T+7.98 Reduction in 1st stage engines exhaust indicating 1st stage shut
down in progress.
T+8.01 1st stage disappears into vapor cloud. Engines appear to be shut
down, no visible exhaust flame.
T+8.35 Third fireball in vapor cloud. Increase in vapor cloud size.
Probable 1st stage breakup.
T+10.26 Object appears from behind vapor cloud trailing two fluttering
objects. The same object is visible in both the NASA and SpaceX video feeds.
Object is also venting vapor. High probability object is Dragon capsule,
whole or part, trailing collapsed drogue chutes. Object is visible for
approximately 3 seconds in both video feeds. The object goes off frame in
the NASA feed. The SpaceX feed appears to transition to a different camera.
SpaceX did receive data from Dragon after the launch vehicle failure.
An 8 second event should produce significant data!
Krell
