Tag: Crash

USMC to Conduct Safety Review Following MV-22 Crash

Aviation Week reports that the new acting head of the US Marine Corps “will elevate the head of safety role to a general officer by next summer as the service conducts a review of its operations with a long-term look to improving its overall focus on safety.” The announcement “comes after a Bell Boeing MV-22 crash.”
Full Story (Aviation Week)

Ispace Details Moon Lander Crash

The Hill reports that Tokyo-based ispace “confirmed Wednesday that its HAKUTO-R spacecraft, which was scheduled to make a historic lunar landing on Tuesday, likely crashed into the Moon’s surface.” The lander entered the moon’s orbit on March 21 and prepared to land on the lunar surface. However, during the lander’s descent, ground control lost communication with the craft, and the team “determined it was in a vertical position as it approached the lunar surface, however, no data was ever received that indicated a successful touchdown.” Company officials released a statement that reads, “Based on the data, it has been determined that there is a high probability that the lander eventually made a hard landing on the moon’s surface.”
Full Story (The Hill)

Musk Reveals Cause of Starship SN11 Crash

SPACE reports that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Monday that the Starship SN11 prototype failed to land in the March 30 test flight because “a (relatively) small CH4 leak led to fire on engine 2 & fried part of avionics, causing hard start attempting landing burn in CH4 turbopump. This is getting fixed 6 ways to Sunday.” A “‘hard start’ refers to ignition when there’s too much fuel in the combustion chamber and the pressure is therefore too high.” SpaceX “has already built the next Starship prototype, known as SN15, and it should take to the skies soon.”
Full Story (SPACE)