--- title: "Photo Shows Large Explosion at United Launch Alliance Test Facility" description: "A huge cloud of hydrogen gas blew up a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur V upper stage, not far from where Blue Origin was testing its engines." date: "2023-04-10" modified: "2023-04-10" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/photo-explosion-united-launch-alliance" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "blue origin" - "the digest" - "United Launch Alliance" - "vulcan" --- # Photo Shows Large Explosion at United Launch Alliance Test Facility ![A huge cloud of hydrogen gas blew up a United Launch Alliance Vulcan Centaur V upper stage, not far from where Blue Origin was testing its engines.]() *An Atlas V rocket of United Launch Alliance lifts off from launch pad SLC-41 to begin the Orbital Flight Test 2, or OFT-2 mission, at Cape Canaveral, Florida on May 19, 2022. - Sitting atop the rocket is the Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft, which will eventually transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station. The test flight was delayed from rom December of 2019 by software problems which led to stuck isolation valves on the capsule. The launch will gather data aimed at a crewed test flight later this year as well as carry more than 500 pounds (227 kg) of food and other supplies to the International Space Station. (Photo by Gregg Newton / AFP) (Photo by GREGG NEWTON/AFP via Getty Images) \Image: Getty Images\* ## Big Rocket Go Boom Rocket launch company United Launch Alliance suffered a major setback during testing late last month, resulting in a gigantic fireball erupting at the company's test facilities at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama, as seen in a [dramatic image]() obtained by *Ars Technica*'s Eric Berger. There's a lot we still don't know about the incident — but we do know that it's the last thing the company needs, considering already lengthy delays in the development of the rocket and the Blue Origin engines, meant to power it, being tested close by. While the ULA was hoping to launch the heavy-lift launch vehicle for the first time on May 4, that date was already likely to be delayed even before the explosion took place, [*Ars Technica* reports]() — which means we should expect even more delays. https://twitter.com/SciGuySpace/status/1644507446516301826 ## Flesh Wound The incident involved a ULA Vulcan Centuar V upper stage, which erupted in flames due to a massive cloud of hydrogen combusting, sending debris flying dozens of feet into the air. "Most of what you’re seeing is insulation and smaller bits from the test rig," ULA CEO Tory Bruno [wrote in a response]() to Berger's tweet of the image. "One piece of the hydrogen tank’s dome, about a foot square, ended up a few feet away. The test article is still inside the rig and largely intact, which will significantly help with the investigation." *Ars Technica*'s sources, however, are more pessimistic, suggesting that such a massive "column of burning, clear hydrogen" was likely to do more than just physical damage, as to the ULA's test article. ## Space Drama The explosion could add even more uncertainty to the development of the ULA's Vulcan Centaur heavy-lift launch vehicle. Blue Origin's already long-delayed BE-4 and BE-3U rocket engines are meant to power the rocket, and as [*Ars* reports](), the ULA has [already been waiting for years]() for the Jeff Bezos-led company to deliver these engines. **Blue Origin** has been building a test stand about 330 feet from the ULA's testing facility where the incident took place. The explosion of the rocket's upper stage likely didn't involve these specific Blue Origin engines, but upgraded versions of the ULA's existing designs. There's a lot we still don't know about what led to the explosion — was the company getting ready for a test flight, or was it an early prototype? Either way, we're likely to see even more delays before the ULA can send its rocket into orbit for the first time. **More on ULA:** *[Alleged Email Leak Shows ULA Plotting Against Elon Musk and SpaceX]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()