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TIL smallsat launcher flight termination systems often don't use explosives (lemmynsfw.com)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 month ago (5 children)

Good to know! My impression was that the FTS has to protect the stuff below the rocket by breaking it up into small pieces and burning off all the fuel. So the rocket doesn’t fall straight back onto the pad and blow it up (like it almost did here).

This “FTS” you’re taking about is just

if(!norminal) {
    Engines.off()
}

Not much of a system really.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 month ago (1 children)

It's probably not just software. I'd expect it to be an entirely separate set of processors which track how the flight is going and do absolutely nothing except decide whether or not to terminate

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 month ago

Yea, makes sense

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