Secondary payloads have previously caused structural or operational failures in primary payloads
the verdict
REFUTED
the evidence says no
refutedsupported
the weight of evidence
0 sources for · 2 against
AS REPORTEDno primary record reached; this is what the reporting says
A WIRED news article and a reference discussion refute the claim by addressing questions about secondary payload damage without establishing that such failures have previously occurred.
SpaceX Engine Failure Claims Experimental Satellite | WIRED
Jason Paur
Oct 15, 2012 1:22 PM
# SpaceX Engine Failure Claims Experimental Satellite
SpaceX and NASA are forming a board to jointly investigate the problem that led to last week's engine failure during the Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral.
Jason Paur
Oct 15, 2012 1:22 PM
Dragon being captured by the robotic arm on October 10. Photo: SpaceX
SpaceX and NASA are forming a board to jointly investigate the problem that led to last week's engine failure during the Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral.
The primary objective of the mission succeeded, with SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft delivering 882 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station – including real ice cream, not that freeze-dried stuff at the museum – but the engine failure did lead to a problem with a secondary payload onboard Dragon. Thankfully, no ice cream was harmed. But an onboard satellite wasn't so lucky.
"This board will methodically analyze all data in an effort to understand what occurred to engine 1 during liftoff of the CRS-1 mission on Sunday, October 7," according to a statement from SpaceX's Katherine Nelson. "While Falcon 9 was designe
# When have secondary payloads damaged the primary payload of a launcher?
Tags: launch, failure, payload, secondary-payload
- Score: 17
- Views: 394
- Answers: 1
- Answered: yes
- Asked by: LocalFluff (27291 rep)
- Asked: 2017-05-13
- Edited: 2021-03-26
- Site: space
## Question
Primary payload customers have traditionally been cautious when allowing secondary payloads on the same launcher. For example, a secondary payload is not trusted to have its own chemical propulsion system since it would be explosive.
But how often have secondary payloads caused its primary payload to fail? What are some examples of this happening, or being a strongly suspected cause of failure?
## Answers
### Answer by PearsonArtPhoto (score: 2)
To my knowledge, there has never been an instance where a secondary payload has damaged a primary payload, at least that is proven and publicly known.
Oftentimes secondary payloads are of lower quality than primary payloads, and issues with the secondary payloads do have the potential to damage the primary payloads. The cost of these secondary payloads is significantly less than a primary payload. The customer who is paying the most isn't going to want any
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