Aug 5 1996
From The Space Library
NASA convened a five-member investigation board to determine the cause of the postlanding explosion of the Clipper Graham (DC-XA) rocket on 31 July 1996. The Clipper Graham had successfully flown a 2-minute, 20-second flight profile, but had tipped over and caught fire after landing when one of its four landing gears failed to deploy. The DC-XA had tested successfully three times before the explosion destroyed it. Former astronaut Vance Brand chaired the panel, bringing together representatives from NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Langley Research Center, and Kennedy Space Center. Researchers hoped the investigation would illuminate any flaws in the Clipper Graham's design, allowing engineers to make necessary adjustments in future prototypes.
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