SpaceX Falcon 9 Launches Suspended Following Launch Anomaly
FAA Plans Investigation into the Incident
The FAA has suspended SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches pending an investigation into an anomaly during a Starlink satellite launch last week.
"We greatly appreciate the team’s effort to learn as much as possible from the satellites and attempt recovery." SpaceX Statement
According to SpaceX, Falcon 9’s first stage performed nominally, carrying the second stage and Starlink satellites to orbit, separating from the second stage as expected, and returning to Earth for a successful droneship landing, representing SpaceX’s 329th recovery of an orbital class rocket to-date.
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. While the stage survived and still deployed the satellites, it did not successfully circularize its orbit, but it did shut down as normally occurs at the end of each mission. This left the satellites in an eccentric orbit with a very low perigee of 135 km, which is less than half the expected perigee altitude.
The team worked overnight to make contact with the satellites in order to send early burn commands, but the satellites were left in an enormously high-drag environment only 135 km (≈84 miles) above the Earth (each pass-through perigee removed 5+ km (≈3 miles) of altitude from the orbit’s apogee, or the highest point in the satellite orbit). At this level of drag, it was determined the maximum available thrust would be unlikely to be enough to successfully raise the satellites. As such, the satellites will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and fully burn up on reentry. The company says they do not pose a threat to other satellites in orbit or to public safety.
"We greatly appreciate the team’s effort to learn as much as possible from the satellites and attempt recovery," SpaceX said in a posting on its website.
The FAA issued its statement shortly after the anomaly occurred, saying all Falcon 9 launches would be suspended pending an investigation and the agency's approval for a return to flight. "A return to flight is based on the FAA determining that any system, process or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety," the FAA said. "In addition, SpaceX may need to request and receive approval from the FAA to modify its license that incorporates any corrective actions and meet all other licensing requirements."
SpaceX is scheduled for an ISS crew rotation flight with three astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut in August. That flight will likely be delayed by the investigation. The planned Polaris Dawn private mission with entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and three crewmates is also now in question. That mission was scheduled to launch "no earlier" than July 31 and feature the first spacewalk by private citizens.
"This event is a reminder of how technically challenging spaceflight is. To date, we have completed 364 successful Falcon launches – safely carrying astronauts, customer payloads and thousands of Starlink satellites to orbit – making the Falcon family of rockets one of the most reliable in the world," SpaceX said on its website. "SpaceX will perform a full investigation in coordination with the FAA, determine root cause, and make corrective actions to ensure the success of future missions. With a robust satellite and rocket production capability, and a high launch cadence, we’re positioned to rapidly recover and continue our pace as the world’s most active launch services provider."