NTSB · Safety Recommendation
Safety Recommendation A-93-098
Recommendation
THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION: REQUIRE, AS PART OF ELV LAUNCH PLANNING DOCUMENTATION: SPECIFIC DETAILS AND CRITERIA FOR LAUNCH READINESS REVIEWS AND DRESS REHEARSALS.
Safety Issue and Context
ON FEBRUARY 9, 1993, ABOUT 0930 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, THE LAUNCH SEQUENCE FOR AN ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION (OSC) PEGASUS EXPENDABLE LAUNCH VEHICLE (ELV) WAS ABORTED BY THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION (NASA) RANGE SAFETY OFFICERS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PREVIOUSLY ESTABLISHED LAUNCH CONSTRAINT. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, THE LAUNCH SEQUENCE WAS REINITIATED BY THE OSC TEST CONDUCTOR, AND THE MISSILE SEPARATED UNEVENTFULLY FROM ITS CARRIER AIRCRAFT. THE IGNITION AND STAGING OF THE PEGASUS AND ITS SUBSEQUENT DEPLOYMENT OF TWO SATELLITES INTO LOW EARTH ORBIT WERE ALSO UNEVENTFUL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PERSONNEL INVOLVED IN THE MISSION AND NO DAMAGE TO MISSION ASSETS.
Response History
May 9, 1994 · NTSB Correspondence · Orbital Sciences Corporation
THE BOARD NOTES THAT THE OSC HAS CONDUCTED A SERIES OF READINESS REVIEWS TO ASSESS HARDWARE, PROCEDURES, & PERSONNEL READINESS NECESSARY FOR A SUCCESSFUL OPERATION. THE OSC HAS ALWAYS PERFORMED REVIEWS BEFORE EACH LAUNCH; HOWEVER, THE CONTENT & PARTICIPATION HAS VARIED DEPENDING ON CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS & THE OSC MANAGEMENT. THE OSC HAS NOW STANDARDIZED ITS REVIEW PROCESS & CONTENT FOR COMMERCIAL MISSIONS. BASED ON THIS INFO, THE BOARD CLASSIFIES A-93-98 "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."