SpaceX capsule hits a glitch on space station trip

Paul Marks, chief technology correspondent

The Falcon 9 rocket on its way up (Image: NASA)

The high-fives in SpaceX's mission control centre were short-lived today as the commercial space-flight company's Dragon cargo capsule made it into orbit but then failed to ignite all its thrusters. The snag adds some drama to SpaceX's second official mission delivering supplies to the International Space Station.

Until that point, the company's Falcon 9 rocket launch had been flawless. The launch vehicle lifted off on schedule and the Dragon capsule separated smoothly, entering orbit at about 15.20 GMT. Dragon's batteries powered up the craft, and commentary on the SpaceX and NASA webcasts of the launch suggested solar panel deployment was imminent. But then nothing happened.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk, tweeting from the company's mission control centre in Hawthorne, California, said the issue is with three of Dragon's four thruster pods, groupings totalling 18 small thrusters. Normally Dragon waits for these pods to come online before deploying the solar arrays, because they are needed to steer the craft once in orbit.

Company spokeswoman Christina Ra told New Scientist that the spacecraft had experienced an issue with a propellant valve, and said that one thruster pod is running. The craft needs two pods to have a shot at completing the mission. "We did go ahead and get the solar arrays deployed. Once we get at least two pods running, we will begin a series of burns to get to the station," she said in an email.

Dragon is slated to deliver supplies and science experiments to the ISS, including a batch of frozen mouse stem cells for researchers into the human health effects of long-haul space flights.

Getting the solar arrays deployed does not necessarily mean Dragon is in the clear. Whatever stopped the thrusters from working - perhaps the spacecraft's onboard software - may have other surprises in store.

Update 23:27 GMT: Two more thruster pods on the Dragon capsule have come online, Elon Musk announced on Twitter, but the glitch has forced a delay in the capsule's rendezvous with the space station. A planned Saturday docking has been cancelled. NASA doesn't expect a decision on the next possible docking time until tomorrow, though Sunday may be an option.

Source: http://feeds.newscientist.com/c/749/f/10897/s/291b9016/l/0L0Snewscientist0N0Cblogs0Cshortsharpscience0C20A130C0A30Cdragon0Eorbit0Etrouble0Bhtml0Dcmpid0FRSS0QNSNS0Q20A120EGLOBAL0Qonline0Enews/story01.htm

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