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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which is used to launch satellites and carry astronauts into orbit, suffered a rare and disruptive failure Thursday night while trying to deliver a batch of internet satellites into orbit. The ordeal prompted federal regulators to ground the rocket, which has become a cornerstone of the U.S. and global launch industry over the past decade.
This incident is the first time that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket – which also plays an important role in NASA’s human spaceflight program – has failed in nearly a decade.
The Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches, said Friday morning it was ordering an investigation into the incident, though “no public injuries or damage to public property” had been reported.
The FAA, which routinely launches such investigations in the name of public safety after rocket or spacecraft failures, said it would be involved in issuing corrective actions that SpaceX must take, as well as determining when the Falcon 9 can return to the launch pad.
If the Falcon 9 rocket is out of service for an extended period of time, it could mean cascading setbacks for NASA’s astronaut launch schedule, SpaceX’s orbital space tourism efforts, the company’s satellite internet service, and the global commercial satellite industry, which relies heavily on the Falcon 9 rocket.
The Falcon 9 spacecraft launched from Vandenberg Spaceport in California on Thursday evening, at around 10:30 p.m. local time.
The launch vehicle carried 20 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink network, which is already operating across more than 6000 satellites Which have been deployed across dozens of launches, according to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell.
Most of these flights have gone off without any apparent problems, but Thursday was different.
The first stage of the mission appeared to go smoothly, as the Falcon 9 used its first-stage booster — the lower part of the rocket that contains nine engines that provide the initial burst of power at liftoff — to propel itself into space.
The booster rocket then separated and landed safely on a sea platform so SpaceX could refurbish it and use it again.
But the rocket’s second stage, which is designed to ignite after the first stage falls and power the satellites to their final destination in orbit, suddenly failed. The reason wasn’t immediately clear.
“During last night’s Falcon 9 launch of Starlink, the second-stage engine did not complete its second burn. As a result, the Starlink satellites were deployed to a lower orbit than intended,” according to a press release. statement From SpaceX.
Later Friday, SpaceX added in a statement that the rocket’s upper stage had experienced a “liquid oxygen leak.” Liquid oxygen is used as an oxidizer for the Falcon 9’s fuel.
Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, added in mail The CEO of X, formerly known as Twitter, said that the second phase not only failed — it experienced what his company tends to call a “RUD,” or “rapid unscheduled disintegration,” which usually refers to an explosion.
Although the rocket launched all the satellites on board, they ended up in an irregular orbit that pulled them much closer to Earth than intended. This puts the devices at the mercy of Earth’s strong gravity.
Musk added in a separate message, mail “SpaceX will investigate the issue and look for any other potential near misses,” a SpaceX spokesperson said.
“We’re planning to fly more Falcon 9 flights this year than we’ve flown Shuttle flights in 30 years,” Musk said. (SpaceX has launched more than 60 Falcon 9 flights so far in 2024, while NASA’s shuttle program has flown 135 missions in its three-decade history.)
Thursday’s accident raises questions about how long the Falcon 9 rocket will have to be taken out of service at a crucial time for SpaceX and the U.S. space industry.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 spacecraft plays a key role in NASA’s human spaceflight program – carrying astronauts on routine trips to orbit.
It is worth noting that the SpaceX accident comes after the Boeing accident. Starliner vehicleThe S-300 spacecraft, which is set to join SpaceX in providing astronaut launches, has encountered several problems during its ongoing first crewed mission.
The Starliner spacecraft has already extended its mission for weeks longer than expected as engineers work to figure out what caused a helium leak and propulsion problems on the spacecraft’s first stage.
While NASA and Boeing officials say they are confident Starliner will be able to bring its crew home, Steve Stich, NASA’s commercial crew program manager, indicated Wednesday that SpaceX is a backup option.
“The nice thing about the Commercial Crew Program is that we have two vehicles,” Stich said, referring to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft, which routinely launches on a Falcon 9 rocket, and the Starliner.
“We have more time to look at the data and then decide if we need to do anything different,” Stich said, referring to the flexibility SpaceX could give to the ISS schedule and the Starliner test flight.
Crucially, the Falcon 9 rocket was also scheduled to launch. Incoming cargo resupply mission To the International Space Station, to provide fresh supplies to the Starliner test crew and other astronauts aboard the space station. The two Starliner astronauts went into space without their two suitcases of clothes and toiletries because NASA needed a bathroom pump on their flight. It’s not yet clear whether NASA will have to delay this resupply mission.
“The safety of the crew and ensuring the mission are NASA’s top priorities,” the agency said in a statement Friday. “SpaceX has been forthcoming in providing information and including NASA in the company’s ongoing investigation into the anomaly to understand the problem and the path forward. NASA will provide updates on the agency’s missions, including potential impacts to the schedule, if any, as more information becomes available.”
SpaceX’s most successful launch vehicle, the Falcon 9 rocket, and the company’s Crew Dragon capsule also have some noteworthy astronaut missions on the horizon. That includes plans to send tech billionaire Jared Isaacman and three crewmates into orbit on a mission called Polaris Dawn that is expected to include the first-ever spacewalk by private astronauts.
“SpaceX has an incredible track record with the Falcon 9,” Isaacman says. He said Friday on X. “As for Polaris Dawn, we will fly when SpaceX is ready and with full confidence in the rocket, spacecraft and operations.”
SpaceX is also expected to send NASA astronauts to the International Space Station in August as part of a long-term contract with the space agency.
Musk said the Starlink satellites deployed Thursday may be too close to Earth to stay in orbit for long.
Of the 20 Starlink satellites launched on the Falcon 9 rocket, 13 were Direct cellular connectivity capabilitiesAccording to SpaceX.
In an update posted on Friday, SpaceX said: He said It has managed to contact ten satellites and is trying to raise their orbits – but is unlikely to survive.
“We’re working on updating the satellite’s software to run the ion thrusters at warp speed 9,” Musk said. “Unlike an episode of Star Trek, this probably won’t work, but it’s worth a shot.”
SpaceX said in a statement that its Starlink satellites are designed to disintegrate upon re-entering the atmosphere, so satellites falling from orbit should not pose a risk to people on Earth. mail On Friday X.
However, recent incidents have shown that space trash cans Surviving an unexpected return.
However, some Starlink satellites may have already re-entered the atmosphere, according to McDowell, an expert in orbital mechanics. He pointed to a video circulating on social media that appears to show some Starlink devices. sky drop Near Chile, he noted that his models show that given the low altitude where the satellites are deployed, they should all be pulled out of orbit within a week or so.
It’s not yet clear what the incident means for the future of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. Rockets typically remain grounded for months after a failure while engineers work to determine the root cause and verify the safety of the vehicle.
NASA did not immediately comment to CNN on Friday morning. When asked for additional information Friday, SpaceX pointed to updates shared on its X account.
The last time a Falcon 9 rocket failed during flight was in June 2015When the rocket was carrying cargo to the International Space Station. The rocket was grounded for about six months after the accident before resuming flight in December 2015.
Another problem occurred in September 2016When a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a satellite exploded on the launch pad before liftoff. The rocket did not fly for four and a half months after the incident.
SpaceX has launched its Falcon 9 rocket more than 350 missions In total, according to the company’s website.
McDowell noted that this is a key reason why SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket is able to recover so quickly, staying on the ground for weeks rather than months. The wealth of flight data could help the company quickly pinpoint what went wrong. But the failure, he added, was also a reminder of a broader issue.
“This shows the danger of monopoly,” McDowell said, highlighting the validity of NASA’s decision to seek out two different companies to provide astronaut transportation services. “This is probably a good thing for SpaceX, too, because the danger of a very successful vehicle is overconfidence — so this will remind the team that space is still tough, even for Falcon 9.”
