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SpaceX may resume Falcon 9 launches while FAA investigates booster landing mishap, agency says

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Published  August 30, 2024 8:45pm EDT
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The Brief

    • The FAA says SpaceX may resume Falcon 9 launches just days after an explosion of the first-stage booster.
    • SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket launched 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, into low-Earth orbit early Wednesday.
    • The rocket's first stage booster toppled over and caught fire while landing on the droneship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean.

ORLANDO, Fla. - SpaceX may resume launches of its Falcon 9 rocket while the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) continues to investigate what caused the first-stage booster to topple and explode as it was attempting to land on a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida Coast earlier this week, the agency said late Friday.

"The SpaceX Falcon 9 vehicle may return to flight operations… provided all other license requirements are met," read a statement by the FAA sent to FOX 35 News. 

SpaceX Falcon 9 grounded after landing mishap

What was supposed to be a historic week for SpaceX ended in setbacks, after a Falcon 9 rocket booster burst into flames off the coast of Florida. All Falcon 9’s are now grounded after an anomaly overnight.

SpaceX requested a return-to-flight on Thursday after the landing mishap and explosion during the Starlink Group 8-6 mission early Wednesday. The rocket blasted off at 3:48 a.m. from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, deploying 21 Starlink satellites — including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities — into low-Earth orbit.

However, after the launch, "Falcon 9's first stage booster tipped over following touchdown on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship," SpaceX said. 

VIDEO: SpaceX Falcon 9 booster catches fire after landing mishap following launch from Florida

This mission marked the first-stage booster's 23rd flight. It previously launched GPS III Space Vehicle 04, GPS III Space Vehicle 05, Inspiration4, Ax-1, Nilesat 301, OneWeb Launch 17, ARABSAT BADR-8, and 16 Starlink missions.

SpaceX had planned a second launch of Starlink satellites on Wednesday night but decided to scrub it to give its team time to review booster landing data.

No public injuries or public property damage was reported. However, the FAA temporarily grounded launches "to further enhance public safety, determine the root cause of the event, and identify corrective actions to avoid it from happening again."

Falcon 9 launches to resume this weekend

Shortly after the FAA announced that it would allow the resumption of Falcon 9 flights, SpaceX said it targeted back-to-back launches from California and Florida this weekend.

Vandenberg Space Force Base

SpaceX was aiming for a Friday, Aug. 30 launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 equipped with Direct to Cell capabilities, from Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Liftoff is scheduled for 9:58 p.m. PT, with additional opportunities available until 1:48 a.m. PT.

The mission will mark the ninth flight for the first-stage booster, which has previously launched Crew-7, CRS-29, NROL-186, EarthCARE, Transporter 10, PACE, and two Starlink missions. After stage separation, the booster is set to land on the droneship "Of Course I Still Love You," stationed in the Pacific Ocean.

Cape Canaveral Space Force Station

SpaceX is also set to launch a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Saturday, August 31. Liftoff is scheduled for 3:43 a.m. ET, with backup opportunities available on Sunday, September 1, starting at 1:16 a.m. ET.

This mission will mark the 18th flight for the first-stage booster, which has previously launched CRS-24, OneWeb 1, SES 18 & 19, Eutelsat HOTBIRD-F1, and 13 Starlink missions. After stage separation, the booster is expected to land on the droneship "Just Read The Instructions," stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Source

Information for this article was gathered from video of the rocket launch, updates from SpaceX on X, formerly known as Twitter, and a statement provided by the Federal Aviation Administration.