SpaceX's commercial satellite launch schedule has been disrupted following the loss of a Falcon 9 rocket on July 11, 2024. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded all Falcon 9 rockets, delaying future launches indefinitely..The incident occurred about an hour after the Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket's second-stage booster failed to reignite, resulting in the loss of the rocket and its payload of 20 Starlink satellites. Initially, the launch appeared successful, with the first stage landing back on land. However, an unusual ice buildup around the rocket's Merlin engine was noted, which did not affect performance until the second-stage burn failed. The SpaceX webcast ended abruptly, leaving the deployment of the Starlink satellites incomplete, and they are now likely to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up..This failure is the first for a Falcon 9 in over seven years, impacting both SpaceX and the broader commercial space launch industry. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed the failure was due to a "Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly" caused by a liquid oxygen leak. The Falcon 9 rockets will remain grounded until the cause is fully investigated and rectified.
SpaceX's commercial satellite launch schedule has been disrupted following the loss of a Falcon 9 rocket on July 11, 2024. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded all Falcon 9 rockets, delaying future launches indefinitely..The incident occurred about an hour after the Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket's second-stage booster failed to reignite, resulting in the loss of the rocket and its payload of 20 Starlink satellites. Initially, the launch appeared successful, with the first stage landing back on land. However, an unusual ice buildup around the rocket's Merlin engine was noted, which did not affect performance until the second-stage burn failed. The SpaceX webcast ended abruptly, leaving the deployment of the Starlink satellites incomplete, and they are now likely to re-enter Earth's atmosphere and burn up..This failure is the first for a Falcon 9 in over seven years, impacting both SpaceX and the broader commercial space launch industry. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk confirmed the failure was due to a "Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly" caused by a liquid oxygen leak. The Falcon 9 rockets will remain grounded until the cause is fully investigated and rectified.
