In an unexpected setback for SpaceX, the company’s Falcon 9 rocket has been grounded by U.S. federal aviation regulators after an engine failure during the launch of 20 Starlink satellites. The incident occurred on Thursday night at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, marking the first major failure for the Falcon 9 since 2015.
Approximately an hour after lift-off, the rocket’s second stage failed to reignite as planned. Instead, it deployed the batch of Starlink satellites into a dangerously low orbit, putting them at risk of burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere. The malfunction has raised concerns about the reliability of SpaceX’s launch schedule and the safety protocols in place.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Friday that they are launching an investigation into the incident. “No public injuries or public property damage have been reported,” the FAA stated, but they emphasized that the Falcon 9 will remain grounded until the issues are fully resolved and public safety is assured.
SpaceX acknowledged the problem in a statement on X (formerly Twitter), saying that the “second stage engine did not complete its second burn.” As a result, the Starlink satellites were deployed into a lower than intended orbit. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk commented that the engine failed “for reasons currently unknown” and that the team is “reviewing data to understand the root cause.”
This incident comes during SpaceX’s aggressive expansion of its Starlink internet satellite constellation, which aims to provide global broadband coverage. The failure not only delays the rollout of additional satellites but also brings scrutiny to the company’s launch operations.
For global businesses and investors, this development could have implications for the satellite internet market and SpaceX’s competitors. Academics and researchers may find interest in the technical aspects of the failure, while global readers and enthusiasts are watching closely as the story unfolds.
The last time Falcon 9 experienced a failure was in 2015, when the rocket exploded on the launch pad in Florida. Since then, the vehicle has been lauded for its reliability and reusability, completing over 350 missions successfully until this recent anomaly.
As investigations proceed, the aerospace community awaits further information on what caused the engine failure and how SpaceX plans to address the issues to prevent future incidents.
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SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket leaves Starlink satellites in wrong orbit
cgtn.com
