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Defective components were provided to the Taurus XL rocket accused of the loss of the Orbit Carbon Observatory in 2009 and the Glory mission in 2011
Orbital scientists monitor NASA Glory's top stack when a crane lifts it to the top of the Taurus XL rocket in the Vandenberg Air Base 576-E space launch complex in 2011. (Photo courtesy of NASA)
Defective aluminum components provided by a manufacturer that falsified the tests have condemned two Taurus XL rocket launches carrying a pair of NASA scientific missions in space from Vandenberg Air Force Base ten years ago.
Investigators determined the root cause of the failures of the launch of the Taurus XL and blamed the Oregon aluminum manufacturer, Sapa Profiles Inc. (SPI). The company is now known as Hydro Extrusion Portland Inc.
Defective components led to the failure of the Space Agency's Observatory and Carbon Orbiting missions in 2009 and 2011.
NASA's investigation of these incidents resulted in federal criminal charges and an agreement that the company pay $ 46 million to the US government and other commercial clients, citing a ploy of 19 years including the falsification of thousands of certifications for aluminum extrusions to hundreds of customers.
"For nearly 20 years, Sapa Profiles and Sapa Extrusions have falsified critical tests on the aluminum they're selling – tests that their customers, including the US government, depend on to ensure the reliability of the product." 39, aluminum purchased, "said Deputy Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski. I said.
"Corporate and private greed has perpetuated this fraud against the government and other private customers, and this resolution holds these companies responsible for the harm caused by their ploy."
NASA had previously identified the fairing of the rocket payload, or nosecone, as not separating as expected.
The shell structure protects the satellite during the passage of the rocket into the atmosphere.
The heavyweight sent the satellites plummeting into the ocean instead of continuing toward space.
Authorities remained silent on the root cause until the conclusion of the criminal case last week.
Investigators say SPI has changed test results and provided false certifications to Orbital Sciences Corp., the manufacturer of the Taurus XL, regarding aluminum components of the payload fairing considered essential to ensure the proper separation of the two halves .
These tests were designed to ensure the consistency and reliability of the aluminum components manufactured by the company, said federal officials.
"NASA relies on the integrity of our industry all along the supply chain," said Jim Norman, director of launch services at NASA's headquarters in Washington, D. "We are doing our own tests, but NASA is not able to test each component again. That's why we require and pay for certain components to be tested and certified by the supplier.
"When test results are changed and certifications are incorrectly provided, missions fail. In our case, the XL Taurus that failed for the OCO and Glory missions resulted in the loss of more than $ 700 million and many years of scientific work, "he said. "It is essential to be able to trust our industry to produce, test and certify materials to the required standards.
"In this case, our trust has been seriously violated."
Instead of enthusiastic scientists and engineers looking to start receiving data from satellite missions, they presented themselves at press conferences after the launch, devastated by failures.
The second rocket also carried a Cal Poly student project carrying three small satellites built by university students from Colorado, Kentucky and Montana, who also found themselves in the ocean.
NASA missions are not the only ones involved. Defective components have also been provided for the missiles used by the Missile Defense Agency's systems, the US Attorney's Office said.
To protect the government's supply chain, NASA has suspended SPI from public procurement and proposed an SPI for government-wide exclusion. The exclusion of public contracts has been effective since September 30, 2015.
"Largely thanks to the hard work and dedication of many highly motivated people from NASA's launch service program, we are able to solve the cause of two extremely disappointing launcher outages and protect the chain of custody." aerospace government procurement, "said Amanda Mitskevich. NASA Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
The OCO mission was designed to study carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere to help scientists understand the characteristics of climate change. Glory also has a role related to climate change.
The investigation also gave rise to criminal prosecution against an SPI testing laboratory supervisor who pleaded guilty in July 2017. He was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. Imprisonment and pay more than $ 170,000 in restitution.
– Janene Scully, editor-in-chief of Noozhawk County North, can be reached at . (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
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