The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded Falcon 9 after the rocket failed a landing attempt and went up in flames. This is the second time the otherwise dependable launch vehicle has been grounded this year, with its recent fumble taking place days before it was scheduled to launch a private crew to orbit.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched on Wednesday from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida for a routine Starlink mission. The rocket’s upper stage carried 21 Starlink satellites to orbit, but its booster failed to stick the landing on its way down to Earth. Rather than its typically graceful touchdown, Falcon 9 tipped over on the droneship in the Atlantic Ocean and broke apart, ending up in a large fireball.
“The incident involved the failure of the Falcon 9 booster rocket while landing on a droneship at sea. No public injuries or public property damage have been reported,” the FAA wrote in a statement, announcing that the administration is requiring an investigation into the landing mishap.
The grounding of the rocket comes at an unfortunate time. Falcon 9 was scheduled to launch billionaire space enthusiast Jared Isaacman on private mission Polaris Dawn, which includes the first attempt at a civilian spacewalk. The mission was scheduled for liftoff on Wednesday morning, but was delayed to no earlier than Friday due to unfavorable weather. It’s not yet clear how the Falcon 9 grounding will affect the launch of the mission.
The 135-foot-high (41 meters) rocket is an industry favorite, launching more than 350 missions since its debut in 2010. SpaceX is aiming for a record-breaking 148 launches of its Falcon 9 rocket this year, topping the 98 missions of 2023.
Although Falcon 9 is largely dependable, this is the second time it has been grounded this year. In July, the rocket was unable to deliver its payload of satellites to orbit due to an upper stage malfunction. The incident grounded the rocket until an investigation into the failed flight concluded around two weeks later, pinpointing an oxygen leak as the reason behind the engine malfunction. Falcon 9’s last malfunction took place in September 2016, when the rocket exploded while still on the launch pad.
Its recent landing mishap ended a stellar streak of 267 successful touchdowns and booster recoveries. The last time Falcon 9 failed to stick the landing was in February 2021 due to a hole in an engine cover, which allowed for exhaust to enter and damage the engine, causing the booster to fumble its descent.
The 135-foot-high (41 meters) rocket is capable of lifting up to 50,300 pounds (22,800 kilograms) of payload into low-Earth orbit. SpaceX’s workhorse rocket boasts unparalleled reusability, with the booster having gone through 23 flights before it went up in flames during this week’s landing failure. Perhaps SpaceX is pushing its Falcon 9 rocket a little too hard.
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Dr. Sarah Adams is a scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to all. Her articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
