SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket fleet was grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration after Thursday’s launch from California resulted in an upper stage failure that launched a batch of Starlink satellites into an eccentric orbit.
The FAA grounding has an immediate impact on Space Coast’s launch schedule — which is on a record pace this year. Overall, 46 of the 50 missions so far in 2024 have been Falcon 9 launches from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and the adjacent NASA Kennedy Space Center.
In a statement Friday, the FAA said “the investigation is designed to further improve public safety, determine the root cause of the event, and identify corrective actions to avoid its recurrence.”
“The return to flight is based on the FAA’s determination that any system, process or procedure related to the accident does not affect public safety. In addition, SpaceX may be required to seek and obtain approval from the FAA to amend its license, which includes any corrective actions and meets all other licensing requirements,” the statement said.
Falcon 9:SpaceX records 50th Space Coast launch for 2024 with Türksat 6A satellite mission on Monday
In the short term in Brevard County, the Falcon 9 program shutdown could be delayed indefinitely:
- The Starlink 10-4 mission early Sunday morning, which was scheduled to lift off before dawn from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
- Another early morning Starlink mission scheduled for Wednesday.
- The Polaris Dawn mission, led by Commander Jared Isaacman, which will send four civilians into orbit to perform the first commercial spacewalk. The high-profile launch was set for no earlier than July 31.
Thursday’s ill-fated Falcon 9 mission lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base carrying a payload of 20 Starlink satellites. In a statement on SpaceX’s website, company officials said an oxygen leak occurred at the top that placed the satellites just 85 miles (135 kilometers) above Earth — less than half the expected perigee altitude.
These satellites will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and “completely perish,” the statement said, and “they pose no threat to other satellites in orbit or to public safety.”
“This event is a reminder of how technically challenging spaceflight is. To date, we have completed 364 successful Falcon launches — safely carrying astronauts, consumer payloads and thousands of Starlink satellites into orbit — making the Falcon family of rockets one of the most reliable in the world,” SpaceX said in a statement.
“SpaceX will conduct a full investigation in coordination with the FAA, determine the root cause and take corrective action to ensure the success of future missions,” the statement said.
“With a robust satellite and rocket manufacturing capability and a high launch rate, we are in a position to recover quickly and continue our pace as the world’s most active launch service provider,” the statement said.
Major SpaceX accidents are rare in Florida. In June 2015, the Falcon 9 disintegrated 2 minutes and 19 seconds after liftoff from then-Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. That rocket carried a SpaceX Dragon capsule filled with more than 5,000 pounds of supplies destined for the International Space Station. Engineers blamed a broken prop that caused an oxygen tank to explode.
Then in September 2016, a Falcon 9 spectacularly exploded on the pad during a refueling test at the Air Force Station, destroying a $200 million communications satellite. The explosion led to changes in helium refueling operations.
Isaacman previously funded Inspiration4, the first all-private orbital space mission, which will launch aboard Falcon 9 in September 2021 from KSC. In a tweet on Friday, he praised SpaceX’s “incredible track record” with the workhorse rocket.
“I can say from personal experience that they are very transparent when problems arise. I have no doubt that they will quickly come to a cause and ensure that the most cost-effective and reliable launch vehicle continues to deliver payloads into orbit,” Isaacman said in a tweet.
“As for Polaris Dawn, we will fly when SpaceX is ready and with full confidence in the rocket, spacecraft and operations,” he said.
Besides the 46 Falcon 9 missions, only four other orbital rockets have lifted off this year from the Space Coast:
In light of Friday’s FAA decision, the next rocket finally scheduled on the Space Coast calendar is USSF-51, a July 30 launch of a ULA Atlas V as part of a National Security Space Force mission. The rocket will lift off from Launch Complex 41 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
For the latest news from Space Force Station Cape Canaveral and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space.
Rick Neal is a space reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale atRneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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