SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket has been temporarily grounded after a rare and dramatic incident in which its first-stage booster tipped over and exploded during an attempted landing. The mishap occurred after the rocket successfully delivered a batch of 21 Starlink satellites into orbit during an early morning launch, as shown in a webcast by Elon Musk’s company.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced the grounding on Wednesday, stating that they would be conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the failure and to implement corrective actions. This is the first time in over three years that the Falcon 9 booster has failed to land successfully, breaking a streak of hundreds of successful landings that have been integral to SpaceX’s business model of reusability.
Although the booster landing is considered a secondary objective, the success of this maneuver is crucial for reducing costs and enhancing the reusability of the rocket system. The investigation by the FAA aims to ensure that public safety is not compromised and that the system is safe for future launches.
The grounding of the Falcon 9 could impact the next scheduled launch of Polaris Dawn, a high-profile mission organized by billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman. The multi-day orbital mission, which aims to conduct the first spacewalks by an all-civilian crew, has already faced delays due to technical issues and weather conditions.
Falcon 9 is a vital part of SpaceX’s operations, trusted by both the U.S. government and private industry for launching satellites and astronauts into orbit. The rocket was previously grounded for around two weeks in July due to an anomaly with its second-stage engine, which led to the loss of another batch of Starlink satellites. The FAA will determine when the Falcon 9 can return to flight based on the findings of their investigation.
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