spacetoday.net: SpaceX test firing aborted

Posted: Wed, Mar 10, 2010, 6:28 AM ET (1128 GMT)
Falcon 9 engine test attempt 10 Mar 09 (SpaceX)

A planned test firing of the first stage engines on the first Falcon 9 was aborted because of a technical problem, officials said late Tuesday. SpaceX planned a 3.5-second test firing of the nine engines on the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket currently on the pad at Cape Canaveral as part of tests leading up to the inaugural launch of the rocket this spring. While there appeared to be a brief ignition to observers, it was not for the full 3.5 seconds. SpaceX released a statement late Tuesday stating that the test was aborted at T-2 seconds; the brief ignition observers witnessed was the burnoff of liquid oxygen and kerosene on the pad. The abort was triggered by the "spin start" system on the booster; the company did not disclose additional details about the problem, other than to say they plan to make another static fire test attempt in three to four days.