The uncrewed rocket was carrying 20 of SpaceX\u2019s Starlink internet satellites, including 13 with the company\u2019s new \u201cdirect to cell<\/a>\u201d capabilities that allow connection to unmodified smartphones.<\/p>\n The satellites were still deployed but into the wrong orbit, SpaceX said Friday in a\u00a0post on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n The company also said that a liquid oxygen leak developed on the upper portion of the Falcon 9 before it tried to reignite in orbit.<\/p>\n Livestreamed video of the routine launch showed chunks of icy material forming on the rocket and breaking away while in space.<\/p>\n When the engine tried to reignite it failed and seemingly broke apart.<\/p>\n SpaceX said it was able to make contact with 10 of the satellites and attempted to raise them using the spacecraft\u2019s ion thruster engines.<\/p>\n But because of where the satellites were deployed, it\u2019s unlikely they\u2019ll be able to boost themselves high enough before being dragged back down to Earth, SpaceX said.<\/p>\n That means they will re-enter Earth\u2019s atmosphere and burn up, the company added.<\/p>\n The spacecraft don\u2019t pose a threat to other satellites in orbit or to public safety, the company added.<\/p>\n The last major in-flight failure of a Falcon 9 rocket happened in 2015, when a vehicle carrying cargo to the International Space Station for NASA disintegrated on the climb to space.<\/p>\n In 2016, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket also exploded as it was being fueled ahead of a test on the launchpad before taking flight.<\/p>\n Despite these early incidents, SpaceX has maintained a near-perfect track record of successful Falcon 9 rocket launches for the last decade, save for some landings that missed their marks.<\/p>\n The company boasted 96 successful Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches in 2023.<\/p>\n This flight was SpaceX\u2019s 70th launch of its Falcon family of rockets for 2024.<\/p>\n The FAA said in an emailed statement it is requiring an investigation.<\/p>\n The agency said a probe is designed to enhance public safety, determine the cause of the failure and identify corrective actions to avoid it happening again.<\/p>\n No public injuries or public property damage have been reported, it said.<\/p>\n As such, the satellites will re-enter Earth\u2019s atmosphere and fully demise. They do not pose a threat to other satellites in orbit or to public safety.https:\/\/t.co\/96M1qY6Juw<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 SpaceX (@SpaceX)\u00a0July 12, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n The FAA\u2019s probe effectively means the Falcon 9 rocket is grounded until the agency determines there\u2019s no risk to public safety.<\/p>\n SpaceX may also need to modify its license with the FAA to incorporate any corrective measures.<\/p>\n The mishap is likely to delay Falcon 9 and potentially Falcon Heavy flights moving forward, though it\u2019s unclear how long it will take to return to flight.<\/p>\n \u201cHistorical precedent is when there is some sort of a launch failure, the vehicle is down for six to nine months to do an accident investigation,\u201d Chris Quilty, CEO and president of analytics firm Quilty Space, said in an interview.<\/p>\n \u201cNow there is no historical precedent for the Falcon 9, which has been launching about every two and a half days for the last year or two.\u201d<\/p>\n The company\u00a0aims<\/a>\u00a0to launch as many as 148 flights this year with its Falcon rocket family.<\/p>\n At the end of July, SpaceX intends to launch a crew of four private astronauts \u2014 including billionaire Jared Isaacman \u2014 on a mission to perform the first commercial spacewalk with SpaceX\u2019s new spacesuits.<\/p>\n The company also has its next crewed launch for NASA coming up in August, called Crew-9, which will send four astronauts to the International Space Station.<\/p>\n Isaacman\u00a0said on X<\/a>\u00a0that his crew will \u201cfly whenever SpaceX is ready,\u201d with Musk\u00a0responding<\/a> that SpaceX will investigate the issue and look for \u201cany other potential near-misses.\u201d<\/p>\n A prolonged delay for the Falcon 9 could also have substantial impacts on the commercial satellite market.<\/p>\n SpaceX was responsible for launching 82% of all of the material that went to orbit in 2023, according to\u00a0BryceTech<\/a>, a space analytics firm.<\/p>\n And SpaceX is a key partner for NASA and the Defense Department.<\/p>\n Competitors like the United Launch Alliance and Arianespace have debuted similarly capable vehicles to the Falcon 9, but both of those rockets are relatively new and not flying nearly as frequently.<\/p>\n Arianespace\u2019s Ariane 6, for instance, flew for\u00a0the first time<\/a>\u00a0on Tuesday and also suffered a partial failure toward the end of the flight.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the Falcon 9\u2019s absence from the launch market will depend on the root cause of the Thursday night failure.<\/p>\n\n
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