Explosion at SpaceX launch pad destroys

rocket, satellite
Marcia Dunn | Associated Press | Cape Canaveral, Fla.
Fri, September 2 2016 | 06:32 am

Destroyed -Smoke rises from a SpaceX launch site Thursday at Cape Canaveral, Fla. NASA said SpaceX
was conducting a test firing of its unmanned rocket when a blast occurred. (AP/Marcia Dunn)

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NASA explosion rocket Facebook

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A massive fireball and explosion erupted Thursday at SpaceX's main launch pad, destroying a
rocket as well as a satellite that Facebook was counting on to spread internet service in Africa.
There were no injuries. The pad had been cleared of workers before what was supposed to be a
routine pre-launch rocket engine test.
SpaceX chief Elon Musk said the accident occurred while the rocket was being fueled and
originated around the upper-stage oxygen tank.
"Cause still unknown," Musk said via Twitter. "More soon."
The explosion heard and felt for miles around dealt a severe blow to SpaceX, still
scrambling to catch up with satellite deliveries following a launch accident last year. It's also a
setback for NASA, which has been relying on the private space company to keep the
International Space Station stocked with supplies and, ultimately, astronauts.
SpaceX was preparing for the test firing of its unmanned Falcon rocket when the blast happened
shortly after 9 a.m. at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The test was in advance of Saturday's
planned launch of an Israeli-made communications satellite to provide home internet for parts of
sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Europe.
A video of the explosion shows a fireball enveloping the top of the rocket. Moments later, the
nose cone containing the satellite plunged to the ground, followed by more explosions.
Buildings four miles away shook from the blast, and a series of explosions continued for several
minutes. Dark smoke filled the overcast sky. A half-hour later, a black cloud hung low across the
eastern horizon.
Video cameras showed smoke coming from the restricted site well into late afternoon. Most of
the rocket was still standing, although the top third or so was clearly bent over.
The explosion occurred at Launch Complex 40 at the Air Force station, right next door to
NASA's Kennedy Space Center, where emergency staff went on standby and monitored the air
for any toxic fumes. The initial blast sent NASA employees rushing outside to see what

happened. The Air Force stressed there was no threat to public safety in the surrounding
communities.
While the pad was still burning, it was off-limits. "We want to make sure we isolate any potential
problem," said Shawn Walleck, a spokesman for the Air Force's 45th Space Wing, "because at
this point, we've had no casualties, we've had no injuries, and we want to keep it that way."
By evening the fire was out, but the pad was going to remain off-limits until Friday morning as a
precaution, the Air Force said.
Facebook spokesman Chris Norton said the social media company was "disappointed by the loss,
but remain committed to our mission of connecting people to the internet around the world."
Founder Mark Zuckerberg was in Kenya on Thursday, discussing internet access with
government officials.
The satellite's Israeli-based operator, Spacecom, said the loss will have "a significant impact" on
the company. Just last November, ground controllers lost contact with the previous satellite in
this so-called Amos series. The new satellite was supposed to provide services to television and
internet operators and a number of clients, including Facebook.
The Falcon rocket destroyed Thursday is the same kind used to launch space station supplies.
The last such flight took place in July. SpaceX, one of two companies making deliveries, is also
working on a crew capsule to ferry station U.S. astronauts.
Two NASA astronauts were doing a spacewalk 250 miles up, outside the space station, when the
explosion occurred. Mission Control did not tell them about the accident, saying all
communication was focused on the spacewalk.
NASA later put out a statement, saying the space agency remains confident in its commercial
partners, SpaceX included. The space station is well stocked and able to weather any potential
delays to upcoming SpaceX deliveries, NASA said.
At the same time, NASA said it remains on track for next Thursday's launch of an asteroidchasing and sampling spacecraft, the first of its kind for the US. The spacecraft and the Atlas
rocket were inside their hangar at the time of the explosion, barely a mile away; preliminary
inspections show both to be in good shape.
The California-based SpaceX had been ramping up with frequent launches to make up for a
backlog created by a launch accident in June 2015. In that mishap, a support strut evidently
snapped in the upper stage; the problem was fixed.
Until Thursday, the company had successfully carried out eight launches this year, with nine
more in the wings by year's end, including the debut flight of the so-called Falcon Heavy. Now
that lineup is in jeopardy.

SpaceX is leasing the Cape Canaveral pad from the Air Force for unmanned Falcon launches.
The company is also redoing a former shuttle pad at Kennedy for future manned flights for
NASA. The first crewed flight was supposed to take place by the end of next year. Boeing also is
developing a crew capsule for NASA.
Even before Thursday's accident, NASA's inspector general office was skeptical there would be
astronaut flights by SpaceX or Boeing before late 2018. Technical challenges are piling up and
threaten to cause delays, according to a report issued Thursday.
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., whose single space shuttle flight ended 10 days before the Challenger
disaster in 1986, said in a statement that the SpaceX accident "reminds us all that space flight is
an inherently risky business."
Others also rallied behind SpaceX, including Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, chairman of the House
Science, Space and Technology Committee. "Despite the difficulties, commercial spaceflight will
carry on with American drive and ingenuity," he said in a statement.
___
AP writers Rodney Muhumuza in Kampala, Uganda, and Daniel Estrin in Jerusalem contributed
to this report.

Chevron's Bangka Field produces first gas


Ayomi Amindoni
The Jakarta Post
Jakarta | Thu, September 1 2016 | 09:56 am

Chevron
Indonesia equipment is seen in operation. (chevronindonesia.com/-)

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Chevron Indonesia Company Ltd announced on Wednesday that Bangka Field, Chevron's
Indonesia Deepwater Development (IDD) project in East Kalimantan, had produced its first
natural gas.
According to Chevron IndoAsia Business Unit managing director Chuck Taylor, the first gas
from Bangka Field was a significant milestone and highlighted the company's commitment to
continue the government's energy goals and deliver energy to Indonesia safely, efficiently and
reliably.
"The project represents Chevron's commitment to bring global capabilities and advanced
technology to Indonesia and applies best practices and expertise from our deepwater
developments around the world," Taylor said in a statement on Wednesday.
The Bangka project has a design capacity of 110 million cubic feet of natural gas and 4,000
barrels of condensate per day. Chevron has a 62 percent interest in the Bangka project with the
other contributing joint venture participants being Eni with a 20 percent interest and Tip Top with
an 18 percent interest.
A final investment decision was reached in 2014, following government approvals. Chevron
began drilling the development wells in the second half of 2014.
"For more than 90 years, Chevron has been a major partner in meeting the energy needs of
Indonesia, driving economic growth and supporting local communities in East Kalimantan and
the other areas where we operate in Indonesia," Taylor added. (evi)

Cash-strapped budget hits Indonesia

Prima Wirayani | The Jakarta Post | Jakarta
Thu, September 1 2016 | 07:15 am

Cutting: Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati (second right) in a meeting with House of
Representatives Commission XI on Aug. 31 in Senayan, Jakarta. The meeting discussed a budget
cut and progress of the tax amnesty.(Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)

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The countrys cash-strapped state budget has taken its toll on fund transfers to regional
administrations and will lead to lower economic growth this year, state officials say.
Bank Indonesia (BI) estimated that state revenue shortfalls could be greater than the
governments forecast and more budget cuts may need to be made, governor Agus Martowardojo
said.
This is an uncomfortable discussion but it needs to be done. Indonesia, which has solid
fundamentals, can be considered weak if our fiscal condition is not sufficiently strong. Foreign
funds will easily exit and create a setback to our economy, he told a meeting with the House of
Representatives on Tuesday evening.
President Joko Jokowi Widodo has issued a presidential instruction (Inpres) to cut state
spending by Rp 137 trillion (US$10.3 billion) due to a Rp 219 trillion revenue shortfall as the
government has admitted that it previously set the tax target too high.
BI estimated that the budget cut would slash economic growth by 0.1 percent this year to
between 4.9 to 5.3 percent, in contrast to the governments target of 5.2 percent growth.
Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati agreed with the central banks estimate, separately
telling lawmakers on Wednesday, this is an implication, however, to manage the state budget, I
myself as a finance minister must run it by the state budget law.
Sri Mulyani, who replaced former finance minister Bambang Brodjonegoro in Jokowis second
reshuffle in late July, convinced the President to again revise the state budget after spending grew
faster than revenue, potentially leading to fund shortages for the governments development
programs.
Apart from cutting ministries and state institutions spending, another option to keep the budget
in check is to delay fund transfers to regional administrations. Sri Mulyani estimated the deficit

ending the year at 2.5 percent, versus previous estimates of 2.35 percent and nearing the legal
threshold of 3 percent of the nations gross domestic product (GDP)
Overall regional transfer and village funds worth Rp 72.9 trillion would be delayed until next
year, from the initial plan of Rp 776.3 trillion, which would hit the general allocation fund
(DAU) and revenue-sharing fund (DBH) hardest.
The DAU, which is primarily used for capital expenditure, would be cut by Rp 19.4 trillion while
Rp 16.7 percent would be shaved off the DBH, which is allocated based on a regions potential.
The remaining Rp 36.8 trillion cut would be sourced by slashing village funds, special allocation
funds and tax revenue-sharing funds.
The regional transfer cut would surely affect local administrations because the funds are a vital
revenue source for them outside locally generated income, said Kenta Institute senior economist
Eric Sugandi.
However, instead of increasing their budget deficits, they will opt to cut their spending, he
said, adding that infrastructure expenditure would be most vulnerable to the cut, as regions wont
slash their civil servant salaries.
The austerity measure on regional administrations can force them to spend more efficiently
considering a big chunk of idle fund transfers from the government, worth a total of Rp 224
trillion as of July, remain untouched at their local banks, economists and the finance ministry say.
This [the funding cut] can encourage local governments to spend their idle funds, Finance
Ministry director general for budgeting Askolani said.
The government had yet to learn if the cut would increase local budget deficits, he added. A
Finance Ministry regulation only allows the local budget deficit at most 0.3 percent for this
years state budget.
The local administrations budgets have historically recorded balance or surplus as they are not
allowed to borrow or raise funds from the financial market.
The central government needs to cover any potential regional budget deficit because it was the
party that can seek loans or generate funds from the capital market through bond issuances, said
Samuel Assets Management economist Lana Soelistianingsih.
________________________
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