NASA Investigation Uncovers Cause of Two Science Mission Launch Failures

WASHINGTON, April 30, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA Launch Services Program (LSP) investigators eat determined the technical root effect because the Taurus XL launch failures of NASA's Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) and fame missions at 2009 and 2011, respectively: faulty materials provided by aluminum manufacturer, Sapa Profiles, Inc. (SPI).

LSP's technical inquiry led ought the involvement of NASA's Office of the Inspector commonplace and the U.S. department of integrity (DOJ). DOJ's efforts, recently made public, resulted at the decision of criminal charges and alleged civil claims against SPI, and its agreement ought wage $46 million ought the U.S. government and other commercial customers. This relates ought a 19-year plan that included falsifying thousands of certifications because aluminum extrusions ought hundreds of customers.

NASA's updated public summary of the launch failures, which was published Tuesday, comes back a multiyear technical inquiry by LSP and updates the foregoing public summaries above the Taurus XL launch failures because the OCO and fame missions. Those public summaries concluded that the launch vehicle fairing — a clamshell structure that encapsulates the satellite because it travels along the atmosphere — failed ought divide above command, besides no technical root effect had been identified. From NASA's investigation, it is now known that SPI altered quiz results and provided sham certifications ought Orbital Sciences Corporation, the manufacturer of the Taurus XL, regarding the aluminum extrusions used at the payload fairing rail frangible joint. A frangible mutual is a structural separation system that is initiated using ordnance.

"NASA relies above the integrity of our industry throughout the equip chain. cottage we do execute our cause testing, NASA is no capable ought retest each only component. That is why we implore and wage because sure components ought exist tested and certified by the supplier," said Jim Norman, NASA's director because Launch Services can NASA Headquarters at Washington. "When testing results are altered and certifications are provided falsely, missions fail. In our case, the Taurus XLs that failed because the OCO and fame missions resulted at the loss of more than $700 million, and years of people's scientific work. It is acute that we are capable ought confidence our industry ought produce, quiz and prove materials at accordance with the standards we require. In this case, our confidence was severely violated."

To shield the government equip chain, NASA suspended SPI from government contracting and proposed SPI because government-wide debarment. The exclusion from government contracting has been at consequence because Sept. 30, 2015. NASA also has proposed debarment because Hydro Extrusion Portland, Inc., formerly known because SPI, and the company currently is excluded from contracting throughout the federal government.

"Due at big isolate ought the difficult profession and dedication of many highly motivated nation at the NASA Launch Services program, we are capable ought near out the effect of two extremely disappointing launch vehicle failures and shield the government aerospace equip chain," said Amanda Mitskevich, LSP program manager can NASA's Kennedy universe center in, Florida. "It has taken a desire time ought win here, involving years of inquiry and testing, besides because of today, it has been worthy each minute, and I am extremely pleased with the complete team's efforts."

To learn more nearly NASA's Launch Services Program, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/launchingrockets/index.html

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SOURCE NASA