SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket Stopped Before Launching Billionaire on Private Mission

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded the Falcon 9 after the rocket failed a landing attempt and burst into flames. It’s the second time a differently-launched car has been suspended this year, with its latest failure coming just days before it was scheduled to launch an independent team to go around.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched Wednesday from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida for a routine Starlink mission. The rocket’s upper stage carried 21 Starlink satellites into orbit, but its booster failed to stick when it landed on Earth. Rather than being affected normally, the Falcon 9 overran the droneship in the Atlantic Ocean and broke apart, eventually bursting into flames.

“This incident involved the failure of the Falcon 9 booster rocket when it landed on a boat at sea. “There were no public injuries or damage to public property reported,” the FAA wrote in a statement, announcing that the administration is calling for an investigation into the disaster.

The rocket launch comes at a bad time. Falcon 9 was planned to launch billionaire space enthusiast Jared Isaacman on the private mission Polaris Dawn, which included the first attempt at human space travel. The mission was supposed to take off on Wednesday morning, but was delayed until Friday due to bad weather. It is not yet clear how the launch of the Falcon 9 will affect the launch of the mission.

The 135-foot-tall (41 meters) rocket is an industry favorite, launching on more than 350 missions since it began operating in 2010. SpaceX aims to break the record by launching its 148th rocket this year, surpassing all 98 missions. 2023.

Although the Falcon 9 is very reliable, it is the second launch this year. In July, the rocket was unable to deliver its satellite payload into orbit due to a stage malfunction. The incident grounded the rocket until an investigation into the failed flight was completed two weeks later, pointing to an oxygen leak as the cause of the engine’s malfunction. The last Falcon 9 failure occurred in September 2016, when the rocket exploded on the launch pad.

Its latest landing error ended the star’s streak of 267 successful touchdowns and booster landings. The last time a Falcon 9 failed to stick was in February 2021 due to a hole in the engine cover, which allowed exhaust air to enter the engine, causing the booster to burst its descent.

The 135-foot-tall (41 meters) rocket is capable of lifting up to 50,300 kilograms (22,800 pounds) of payload into low-Earth orbit. SpaceX’s workhorse rocket boasts unparalleled reusability, as the booster went through 23 flights before bursting into flames during a failed landing this week. Maybe SpaceX is pushing its Falcon 9 rocket a little too far.

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