U.S. regulators have granted SpaceX permission to resume launching its Falcon 9 rocket, following a recent mishap during a booster landing that resulted in an explosion.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had grounded the Falcon 9 on Wednesday after the first-stage booster tipped over and exploded while attempting to land on a droneship off the Florida coast.
Despite the incident, the early morning launch successfully delivered a batch of 21 Starlink internet satellites into orbit, continuing SpaceX’s mission to expand global internet coverage.
In a statement released on Friday, the FAA said, “The SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle may return to flight operations while the overall investigation of the anomaly during the Starlink Group 8-6 mission remains open, provided all other license requirements are met.”
A webcast from Elon Musk’s company displayed the first stage booster, which typically performs a precise upright landing using its thrusters, tilting and exploding as it descended onto the droneship.
While booster landings are considered secondary objectives, the reusability of the rocket’s first stage is crucial to SpaceX’s business model, reducing costs and enabling rapid launch turnaround.
The incident ended a streak of over three years with hundreds of successful booster landings, highlighting the challenges inherent in rocket recovery operations.
The Falcon 9 remains the backbone of SpaceX’s fleet, trusted by governmental and private entities to launch satellites and astronauts into orbit.
The rocket was last grounded in July when its second-stage engine encountered an anomaly that prevented it from deploying another set of Starlink satellites at the intended altitude.
Upcoming SpaceX Launches
Looking ahead, SpaceX is preparing for two significant missions. The first, the Polaris Dawn mission, aims to take a crew of private citizens on a pioneering commercial spacewalk—a first in the industry. Initially scheduled earlier, this mission faced delays due to ground system complications and unfavorable weather conditions.
Later, SpaceX plans to launch Crew-9 in late September, sending two NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. This mission is part of a broader plan to return the Boeing Starliner’s test flight crew to Earth in 2025 after an extended stay in space.
These developments underscore SpaceX’s ongoing efforts to advance space exploration and maintain its position at the forefront of the aerospace industry.
