What are the most important lessons learned from past rocket accidents?

1 Human factors

One of the most common causes of rocket accidents is human error, either during the design, manufacturing, or launch phases. For example, the Challenger disaster in 1986 was triggered by a faulty O-ring seal that was not designed to withstand low temperatures, and the Columbia disaster in 2003 was caused by a piece of foam insulation that broke off and damaged the thermal protection system of the orbiter. Both accidents could have been prevented if the engineers and managers had paid more attention to the warnings and recommendations of their colleagues and experts. Therefore, one of the most important lessons learned from these and other rocket accidents is to improve the communication, coordination, and culture of safety among the human teams involved in rocket projects.

3 Risk management

A third essential lesson learned from rocket accidents is to identify, assess, and mitigate the risks associated with the launch and operation of rockets. This means conducting thorough analyses and simulations of the potential hazards and failures that could affect the rocket performance and safety, as well as developing contingency plans and backup systems to cope with them. For example, the SpaceX CRS-7 mission failure in 2015 was caused by a faulty strut that broke and released a high-pressure helium bottle that ruptured the second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket. The failure could have been avoided if the strut had been properly tested and certified, or if the helium bottle had been isolated from the rest of the stage. Therefore, one of the most important lessons learned from this and other rocket accidents is to anticipate and prepare for the worst-case scenarios.

4 Learning from others

A fourth valuable lesson learned from rocket accidents is to learn from the experiences and best practices of other rocket programs and organizations. This means sharing and exchanging information, data, and feedback among the different stakeholders and partners involved in rocket projects, as well as benchmarking and adopting the proven methods and technologies of other successful rockets. For example, the Soyuz rocket family has been one of the most reliable and long-lasting rockets in history, thanks to its modular design, robust engineering, and extensive testing and refinement. The Soyuz rocket has also been used as a reference and inspiration for other rockets, such as the European Vega and the Chinese Long March. Therefore, one of the most important lessons learned from this and other rocket successes is to leverage and build on the existing knowledge and expertise of the rocket community.

5 Innovation and improvement

A fifth important lesson learned from rocket accidents is to pursue innovation and improvement in the design, testing, and operation of rockets. This means exploring new ideas, concepts, and solutions that can enhance the performance, efficiency, and safety of rockets, as well as testing and evaluating their feasibility and effectiveness. For example, the SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets have introduced the capability of reusing and landing the first stages of the rockets, which can reduce the cost and environmental impact of rocket launches. The SpaceX rockets have also demonstrated the ability to launch and deploy multiple satellites and payloads in a single mission, which can increase the flexibility and versatility of rocket services. Therefore, one of the most important lessons learned from this and other rocket innovations is to challenge and advance the state-of-the-art of rocket engineering.