A screenshot from a video shows SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launching satellites into orbit after taking off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on July 12, 2024.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has been grounded by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following a recent mission failure that resulted in the loss of a batch of Starlink satellites. This incident marks the first failure of the Falcon 9 in over seven years, raising concerns within the space industry.
The trouble began shortly after the Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Thursday night. About an hour into the flight, the rocket’s second stage failed to reignite, causing the deployment of 20 Starlink satellites to enter a low orbit. Unfortunately, these satellites are now expected to reenter Earth's atmosphere and burn up.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reported the failure on social media, using the term "Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly," which often indicates an explosion. The Falcon 9 will remain grounded until SpaceX completes an investigation, makes necessary repairs, and receives FAA approval. This process could take weeks or even months, depending on the complexity of the issue.
This incident ends an impressive streak of more than 300 successful missions for the Falcon 9, a rocket that has become crucial to the global space industry. SpaceX, valued at around $200 billion, plays a vital role in launching satellites and astronauts for numerous countries and companies.
In response to the situation, Musk mentioned that SpaceX is updating the Starlink satellites' software to adjust their thrusters, hoping to alter their descent trajectory. He humorously noted that while this may not succeed, it’s worth trying. SpaceX assured the public that the satellites do not pose any danger as they reenter the atmosphere, which could be seen as streaks of light in the sky.
The satellites are currently at such a low altitude that they are being pulled closer to Earth with each orbit. SpaceX confirmed that they will eventually reenter and burn up completely. NASA is closely monitoring Falcon 9 missions and is involved in the ongoing investigation into the failure.
According to SpaceX, the failure occurred after engineers detected a liquid oxygen leak in the second stage of the rocket. This recent mishap happened during Falcon 9's 354th mission and is the first failure since 2016 when a rocket exploded on a launch pad, destroying its payload.
Tom Mueller, SpaceX's former vice president of propulsion, acknowledged that every impressive run has to end eventually but expressed confidence that the team would fix the issue and resume normal operations.
The failure is likely to slow down SpaceX's busy launch schedule. Last year, the Falcon 9 had 96 launches, a record that surpassed any other country. In comparison, China launched 67 missions in 2023.
While this flight was an internal mission, the grounding of the Falcon 9 could affect upcoming missions for SpaceX customers. The Falcon 9 is also the only U.S. rocket capable of launching NASA crews to the International Space Station, with a mission planned for August.
SpaceX was set to launch its Polaris Dawn mission soon, sending private astronauts into orbit. Jared Isaacman, a mission crew member, expressed confidence in SpaceX's ability to recover quickly from this setback.
Since 2018, SpaceX has launched about 7,000 Starlink satellites for its global internet service, with the satellites from this mission estimated to be worth around $10 million.
