Rocket propellant leaked at Space Launch Complex No. 40 here at approximately 6 p.m. as the propellant was being loaded onto a Titan IV rocket.
At no time was there a risk to the general public. There were no injuries to personnel in the area. It is estimated that approximately 50 gallons of the propellant leaked, but the official amount will not be determined until the investigation of the incident is completed.
The second stage of the Titan IV uses nitrogen tetroxide, a toxic hypergolic oxidizer. The plume dissipated harmlessly before reaching populated areas of Kennedy Space Center, just west of SLC 40. As a precautionary measure, KSC officials were notified about the incident.
“Our emergency response team was immediately dispatched to the scene to secure the site and assess the potential risk to those at Cape Canaveral and the surrounding area,” said Col. Ev Thomas, 45th Space Wing vice commander. “All those involved were in full protective equipment and were able to control the leak within minutes.”
For every fuel loading operation, worst case scenarios are modeled by Range Safety personnel to ensure the overall safety and security of the operation. Calculations include weather conditions, amount of propellant and potential credible failures.
If at any time a condition exists that exceed established safety criteria, the operation is immediately halted. The cause of the leak is under investigation and the status of the Titan IV launch, which was scheduled for Aug. 18, is unknown at this time.
