SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket has been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) following a dramatic incident involving one of its boosters. The booster, which had just successfully launched another batch of Starlink internet satellites into orbit, toppled over and exploded shortly after landing on a droneship off the coast of Florida. This incident occurred just minutes after the booster achieved a remarkable milestone, becoming the first Falcon 9 first stage to complete 23 launches, having landed 22 times previously without any issues.
The FAA has announced a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the explosion, stating that the Falcon 9 will not be permitted to fly again until the inquiry is completed. “A return to flight of the Falcon 9 booster rocket is based on the FAA determining that any system, process or procedure related to the anomaly does not affect public safety,” the agency said in a statement.
The grounding of the Falcon 9 could have significant ramifications for SpaceX’s flight schedule, potentially delaying the highly anticipated Polaris Dawn mission. This mission, featuring four non-professional astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft, is set to venture further from Earth than any previous private mission and includes the first commercial spacewalk. The mission was initially scheduled for Tuesday but was delayed by a day due to a ground-side issue. Wednesday’s launch attempt was also scrubbed due to concerns about weather conditions anticipated five days later during the Crew Dragon’s planned return.
This is the second time the FAA has grounded the Falcon 9 in recent months. In July, a previous flight suspension was imposed after a Falcon 9 second stage failed to relight properly during a Starlink mission. That time, SpaceX launches were halted for approximately two weeks.
The latest incident marks the first failed Falcon 9 landing since February 2021, and both SpaceX and the FAA are eager to determine the root cause of the explosion.
