Source: AFP
SpaceX’s highly reliable Falcon 9 rocket suffered a rare failure that means the company’s latest batch of Starlink satellites will not reach orbit, the company said Friday, as regulators began an investigation.
The rocket, a production launch vehicle that propels satellites and astronauts into orbit, blasted off from Vandenberg Space Base in California on Thursday night, with the first stage performing well and performing the droneship’s spectacular but now routine landing.
But the second stage experienced a liquid oxygen leak, SpaceX said in a statement, leaving it unable to complete a planned second burn.
Although it deployed the 20 Starlink internet satellites it carried, they entered an eccentric orbit with a low point of 135 km (83 mi), about half of what it should have been.
The team worked through the night to send commands to the satellites to try to raise their orbit, but ultimately failed.
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“Therefore, the satellites will re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and be completely destroyed,” SpaceX said. “They do not pose a threat to other satellites in orbit or to public safety.”
The accident marks a rare failure for a rocket that has successfully launched 364 times, carrying astronauts, payloads for SpaceX’s commercial customers and thousands of Starlink satellites into orbit.
The last time a Falcon 9 experienced a serious incident was when one blew up on the launch pad in September 2016.
And in June 2015, a Falcon 9’s second stage disintegrated two minutes after liftoff, resulting in the loss of critical equipment bound for the International Space Station.
The FAA said in a statement that “an investigation is required” to determine the root cause of the latest incident, identify corrective measures and prevent it from happening again.
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SpaceX must submit a report before it can be issued a “return to flight,” meaning the next scheduled refueling of the International Space Station on July 19 is likely to be delayed, as is the next crewed launch on July 31 for the private Polaris Dawn mission.
“SpaceX has an incredible track record with the Falcon 9. I can say from personal experience that they are very transparent when problems arise,” tweeted Jared Isaacman, the billionaire entrepreneur behind Polaris Dawn.
“As for Polaris Dawn, we’ll fly whenever SpaceX is ready.”
The accident comes mainly as the first crew of Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft is stuck waiting for ground teams to give the go-ahead to return from the ISS.
Source: AFP
