Findings from the X-33 Hydrogen Tank Failure Investigation

The X-33 Hydrogen tank failed during test in November of 1999 at MSFC. The tank completed the structural loading phase of the test successfully and was drained of hydrogen prior to the failure. The failure initiated in the acreage of Lobe 1 and was instantaneous, peeling the outer skin and core away from the inner skin. It was determined there were several factors that provided the opportunity for the tank to fail in this way. The factor giving life to these opportunistic circumstances was hydrogen infiltration into the core of the tank. The mechanism for this phenomenon will be discussed in this presentation.