In spite of Thursday’s rocket explosion on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral, launch provider SpaceX will not likely suffer any substantial impact to its commercial launch contracts, according to the director of Virginia Tech’s Aerospace Systems Laboratory, Jonathan Black.
“Facebook has been experimenting with other platforms for delivering internet access to the developing world, including long-duration, high-altitude, solar-powered aircraft,” said Black. “Hopefully this event will not set back their efforts too substantially.”
Black is the Northrop Grumman Senior Faculty Fellow and associate professor of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering at Virginia Tech. Full bio here.
The SpaceX rocket exploded as it was preparing for test-firings of the Merlin engines. The rocket and its communication satellite payload were both destroyed. The AMOS-6 satellite was planned to be part of Facebook's Internet.org program to deliver internet to the developing world.
“Given their track record, I expect they will ultimately be able to satisfy the government that their technology can successfully launch safely,” said Black. “Although that certification may take some more time and ultimately be more expensive to them.
SpaceX is one of several relatively new commercial launch providers attempting to dramatically reduce the costs of space access. Additionally, it won a contract from NASA to carry humans to the space station in the future.
Just over a year ago, a SpaceX rocket exploded during a launch of a supply mission to the International Space Station.
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