This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American
Do not try this at home. A Russian Proton-M launch goes wrong - and it can happen to anyone (wait for the shock wave).
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A rocket is a controlled bomb. The fully fueled Saturn V 'moon rocket' held an explosive force of about half a kiloton of TNT, enough to do some serious damage if catastrophe had struck. And as much as the recent Antares launch failure has captured the attention of social media, it was just business as usual - rockets are tricky beasts, you expect them to fail, you just try to minimize the chances of it happening.
It's pretty educational to look at a (partial) list of launch failures over the past decade or so (below) - a total of 102 losses by my count (a list taken from the excellent resource of the Satellite News Digest). Problems range from launch pad explosions to engine failures in flight, to improper separation of pieces, to thrust issues that place the payload in the wrong orbit. Causes range from ruptures to electrical failures to pyrotechnic firings to pieces of the mechanics (from snagged cords to bolts) and computer and sensor problems. There are a sobering number of things that have to all go right to loft an object into a precise orbit, and frighteningly few things that need go wrong for it to all end in tears.
Despite this, the number of successes outnumber the failures, a testament to the extraordinary engineering skills that go into any space program. So don't mourn Antares, instead cheer on the next launch...
Launch failures from 1990-2013 (list from Satellite News Digest)
Launch date and time (UTC) | Vehicle | Payload(s) | Launch site |
|---|---|---|---|
2013-07-02 02:21 | Proton M/Block DM-03 | Three GLONASS | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2013-02-01 06:55 | Zenit 3SL/Block DM-SL | Intelsat 27 | International Waters, Pacific Ocean |
2012-12-08 13:13 | Proton M/Briz M | Yamal 402 | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2012-08-06 19:31 | Proton M/Briz M | Telkom 3, Ekspress MD2 | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2012-04-12 22:39 | Unha-3 | Kwangmyongsong-3 | Sohae Satellite Launching Station, North Korea |
2011-12-23 12:08 | Soyuz 2-1b | Meridian 5 | Plesetsk, Russia |
2011-08-24 13:00 | Soyuz-U | Progress M12-M [44P] | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2011-08-18 06:38 | Proton M/Briz M | Ekspress AM4 | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2011-08-17 09:28 | Chang Zheng 2C | Shi Jian 11-04 | Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, China |
2011-03-04 10:09 | Taurus XL | Glory | Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA |
2011-02-01 14:00 | Rokot-KM | GEO-IK-2 | Plesetsk, Russia |
2010-12-25 10:34 | GSLV Mk. I | GSAT-5P | Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India |
2010-12-05 10:25 | Proton M/Block DM-3 | 3 GLONASS satellites | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2010-06-10 08:01 | KSLV 1 | STSAT 2B | Naro, South Korea |
2010-04-15 10:57 | GSLV Mk. II | GSAT 4 | Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India |
2009-08-31 09:28 | Chang Zheng 3B | Palapa D | Xichang, China |
2009-08-25 08:00 | KSLV 1 | STSAT 2 | Naro, South Korea |
2009-02-24 09:55 | Taurus XL | OCO | Vandenberg Air Force Base, USA |
2008-08-22 09:10 | ALV-X1 | HyBoLT, SOAREX | Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia, USA |
2008-08-16 | Safir 1 | Omir (?) | Dasht-e-Kavir desert (?), Iran |
2008-08-03 03:34 | Falcon 1 | Trailblazer et al. | Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands |
2008-03-14 23:18 | Proton M/Briz M | AMC-14 | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2008-02 | Kavoshgar/Safir 1 | ? | Dasht-e-Kavir desert (?), Iran |
2007-09-05 22:43 | Proton M/Briz M | JCSAT-11 | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2007-06-15 15:12 | Atlas V/Centaur | NROL-30 | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA |
2007-03-21 01:10 | Falcon 1 | Demosat | Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands |
2007-01-30 23:22 | Zenit-3SL/Block DM-SL | NSS-8 | International Waters, Pacific Ocean |
2006-07-26 18:34 | Dnepr | BelKa, others | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2006-07-10 12:08 | GSLV Mk I | INSAT-4C | Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India |
2006-07-04 20:01 | Taepodong 2 | unknown | Musudan-ri (?), North Korea |
2006-03-24 22:30 | Falcon 1 | FalconSat 2 | Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands |
2006-02-28 20:10 | Proton M/Briz M | Arabsat 4A | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2005-10-27 06:52 | Kosmos 3M | Mozhayets-5 et al. | Plesetsk, Russia |
2005-10-08 15:02 | Rokot-KM | CryoSat | Plesetsk, Russia |
2005-06-21 | Volna | Cosmos 1 | Barents Sea, Russia |
2005-06-21 | Molniya-M | Molniya-3K | Plesetsk, Russia |
2004-12-24 11:20 | Tsiklon 3 | Sich 1M, KS5MF2 | Plesetsk, Russia |
2004-12-21 21:50 | Delta IV Heavy | Demosat, Ralphie, Sparky | Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, USA |
2004-06-29 03:59 | Zenit 3SL/Block DM-SL | Telstar 18/Apstar V | International Waters, Pacific Ocean |
2004-09-06 10:53 | Shavit 1 | Ofeq 6 [Ofek 6] | Israeli Air Force Test Range, Palmachim Beach, Israel |
2003-11-29 | H-2A | IGS 2A, IGS 2B | Tanegashima Space Centre, Tanegashima, Japan |
2003-09-16 | Kaituozhe 1 (KT-1) | PS2 (?) | Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China |
2002-12-11 22:22 | Ariane 5 ECA | Hotbird 7, STENTOR | Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana |
2002-11-25 23:04 | ProtonK/DM 3 | Astra 1K | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
2002-10-15 18:20 | Soyuz U | Foton M-1 [Foton 13] | Plesetsk, Russia |
2002-09-15 10:30 | Kaituozhe 1 (KT-1) | unknown | Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, China |
2001-09-21 | Taurus | QuikTOMS, OrbView 4 | Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA |
2001-07-20 00:33 | Volna | Cosmos 1 | Barents Sea, Russia |
2001-07-12 21:58 | Ariane 5 G | BSAT 2b, Artemis | Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana |
2001-06-02 | modified Pegasus XL | X-43A | (Edwards Air Force Base, California, USA) |
2001-04-18 | GSLV D1 | GSAT | Sriharikota Range, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India |
2000-12-27 09:56 | Tsiklon 3 | Strela (3), Gonets (3) | Plesetsk, Russia |
2000-03-12 | Zenit 3 SL/Block DM-SL | ICO F1 | International Waters, Pacific Ocean |
2000-11-20 23:00 | Kosmos 3M | QuickBird 1 | Plesetsk, Russia |
2000-02-10 01:30 | M 5 | Astro E | Kagoshima Space Centre, Kagoshima, Kyushu, Japan |
1999-12-12 19:40 | VLS 1 | SACI 2 | Alcantara Space Centre, Maranhao, Brasil |
1999-11-15 07:29 | H 2 | MTSAT | Tanegashima Space Centre, Tanegashima, Japan |
1999-10-27 16:16 | Proton K/DM 2 | Ekspress A1 | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1999-07-05 13:32 | Proton K/Briz M | Raduga 1 | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1999-05-05 01:00 | Delta 3 | Orion 3 | Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, USA |
1999-04-30 16:30 | Titan 401B/Centaur | Milstar 2 F1 | Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, USA |
1999-04-27 18:22 | Athena 2 | Ikonos 1 | Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA |
1999-04-09 17:01 | Titan 402B/IUS-21 | DSP 19 | Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, USA |
1998-09-09 20:29 | Zenit 2 | Globalstar (12) | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1998-08-31 03:07 | Taepodong 1 | Kwangmyongsong 1? | Musudan-ri, North Korea |
1998-08-27 01:17 | Delta 3 | Galaxy X | Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, USA |
1998-08-12 11:30 | Titan 401A/Centaur | [Mercury 3] | Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, USA |
1998-06-15 | Tsiklon 3 | Kosmos 2352 | Plesetsk, Russia |
1998-02-21 | H 2 | Comets [Kakehashi] | Tanegashima Space Centre, Tanegashima, Japan |
1998-01-22 12:56 | Shavit 1 | Ofeq 4 [Ofek 4] | Israeli Air Force Test Range, Palmachim Beach, Israel |
1997-12-24 23:19 | Proton K/DM 3 | Asiasat 3 | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1997-11-02 12:25 | VLS 1 | SCD 2A | Alcantara Space Centre, Maranhao, Brasil |
1997-10-30 01:43 | Ariane 5 G | MAQSAT 3 | Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana |
1997-05-20 07:07 | Zenit 2 | [Tselina 2] | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1997-01-17 16:28 | Delta 2 | GPS SVN 42 | Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, USA |
1996-11-16 20:48 | Proton K/DM 2 | Mars 96 | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1996-08-18 10:27 | Chang Zheng 3 | Chinasat [Zhongxing] 7 | Xichang Space Centre, Sichuan, China |
1996-06-20 18:45 | Soyuz | [Kobalt] | Plesetsk, Russia |
1996-06-04 12:34 | Ariane 5 G | Cluster (4) | Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana |
1996-05-14 08:55 | Soyuz | [Kometa] | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1996-02-14 19:01 | Chang Zheng 3B | Intelsat 708 | Xichang Space Centre, Sichuan, China |
1995-10-23 | Conestoga 1620 | Meteor SM, Meteor RV | Wallops Island, USA |
1995-08-15 22:30 | LLV 1 | Gemstar | Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA |
1995-06-22 19:58 | Pegasus XL | Step M3 | (Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA) |
1995-03-28 10:00 | Start | Techsat 1, ENB, EKA 2 | Plesetsk, Russia |
1995-01-25 19:26 | Chang Zheng 2E | Apstar 2 | Xichang Space Centre, Sichuan, China |
1994-12-01 22:57 | Ariane 42P | PAS 3 | Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana |
1994-06-27 21:15 | Pegasus XL | Step M1 | (Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA) |
1994-05-25 10:15 | Tsiklon 3 | [Tselina] | Plesetsk, Russia |
1994-01-24 21:37 | Ariane 44LP | Eutelsat II F5, Türksat 1A | Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana |
1993-10-05 17:56 | Titan II SLV | Landsat 6 | Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA |
1993-09-20 05:12 | PSLV | IRS 1E | Sriharikota Range, Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh, India |
1993-08-02 19:59 | Titan 403A | [NOSS B3] | Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA |
1993-05-27 01:22 | Proton-K/DM-2 | Gorizont | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1992-12-21 11:21 | Chang Zheng 2E | Optus B2 | Xichang Space Centre, Sichuan, China |
1992-08-22 22:40 | Atlas I | Galaxy 1R | Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, USA |
1992-02-05 | Zenit 2 | [Tselina] | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1991-08-30 08:58 | Zenit 2 | [Tselina] | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1991-04-18 23:30 | Atlas I | BS 3H | Cape Canaveral Air Station, Florida, USA |
1990-10-04 | Zenit 2 | [Tselina] | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1990-08-09 20:18 | Proton K/DM 2 | Ekran M | Baikonur, Kazakhstan |
1990-02-22 23:17 | Ariane 44L | Superbird B, BS 2X | Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana |