SpaceX has confirmed that 20 satellites launched aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from California on Thursday will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere after a malfunction in the rocket’s second stage. The company reported that a liquid oxygen leak developed, preventing the second stage from completing its mission.
In a statement on its official website, SpaceX explained, “Falcon 9’s second stage performed its first burn nominally, however a liquid oxygen leak developed on the second stage. After a planned relight of the upper stage engine to raise perigee or the lowest point of orbit the Merlin Vacuum engine experienced an anomaly and was unable to complete its second burn.”
SpaceX took to X (formerly Twitter) to provide updates on the situation, noting efforts to communicate with the satellites. “SpaceX has made contact with 5 of the satellites so far and is attempting to have them raise orbit using their ion thrusters,” one post stated.
In a subsequent update, SpaceX reported making contact with 10 satellites. “The team made contact with 10 of the satellites and attempted to have them raise orbit using their ion thrusters, but they are in an enormously high-drag environment with their perigee, or lowest point of their elliptical orbit, only 135 km above the Earth.”
Explaining the challenges faced, SpaceX noted, “Each pass through perigee removes 5+ km of altitude from the highest point in the satellite orbit. At this level of drag, our maximum available thrust is unlikely to be enough to successfully raise the satellites.”
SpaceX has assured the public that the re-entering satellites do not pose a threat to other satellites in orbit or to public safety.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk also commented on the situation via X, stating, “We’re updating satellite software to run the ion thrusters at their equivalent of warp 9. Unlike a Star Trek episode, this will probably not work, but it’s worth a shot. The satellite thrusters need to raise orbit faster than atmospheric drag pulls them down or they burn up.”
Despite the challenges, SpaceX remains committed to addressing the issue and ensuring the safety and functionality of its satellite fleet.
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