Message In A Booster

Launch Notes

Excessive heat from Plume Induced Flow Separation (caused by rocket flying higher angle of attack than previous launches) during stage separation and second stage ignition caused disintegration of the separated 1st stage and the loss of the Lightning engine nozzle extension on the 2nd stage, substantially reducing the engine’s thrust. 2nd stage reached 320 km in altitude but did not reach orbital velocity. The 2nd stage with payload eventually impacted the Pacific Ocean north of Antarctica.