CNN
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SpaceX’s trusty Falcon 9 rocket, which powers satellite launches and astronaut trips into space, suffered a rare and troubling malfunction Thursday night as it attempted to launch a batch of internet satellites into space. The ordeal has prompted federal regulators to ground the rocket, which has become a cornerstone of the U.S. and global launch industries over the past decade.
The incident marks the first time in nearly a decade that a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which also plays a key role in NASA’s manned space program, has failed.
The Federal Aviation Administration, which licenses commercial rocket launches, said Friday morning that an investigation into the incident was needed, although no “public injuries or damage to public property” had been reported.
The FAA, which routinely launches such investigations in the name of public safety after rockets or spacecraft fail, indicated it will be involved in issuing corrective actions SpaceX must take and in determining when the Falcon 9 might return to the launch pad.
If the Falcon 9 is out of service for an extended period of time, it could mean major setbacks for NASA’s astronaut launch schedule, SpaceX’s space tourism efforts, the company’s satellite internet service and the global commercial satellite industry, which relies heavily on the Falcon 9.
The Falcon 9 in question took off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Thursday evening around 10:30 p.m. local time.
According to astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, the launch vehicle carried 20 satellites for SpaceX’s Starlink network, which already operates more than 6,000 satellites launched via dozens of launches.
Most flights went without any major problems, but Thursday was different.
The first part of the mission appeared to go smoothly, with the Falcon 9 using its first-stage booster — the lower part of the rocket with nine engines that provide the initial burst of energy at launch — to propel itself toward space.
The booster was then detached and safely landed back on an ocean platform so that SpaceX could refurbish and reuse it.
But the rocket’s second stage, designed to fire after the first stage fails and carry the satellites to their final orbital destination, failed abruptly. The cause was not immediately clear.
“During tonight’s Falcon 9 launch of Starlink, the second stage engine did not complete its second burn. As a result, the Starlink satellites were placed in a lower orbit than intended,” a SpaceX statement said.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk added in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the second stage didn’t just fail — it was what his company typically calls a “RUD,” or “rapid unscheduled disassembly,” which usually refers to an explosion.
“Reasons unknown,” Musk’s message reads.
Thursday’s accident raises questions about whether the Falcon 9 rocket should be retired at a crucial time for SpaceX and the U.S. aerospace industry.
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 plays a key role in NASA’s space program, routinely transporting astronauts into space.
The SpaceX mishap comes after Boeing’s Starliner vehicle, which will launch astronauts with SpaceX, experienced several problems during its first crewed mission.
The Starliner has had its mission delayed for weeks longer than expected as engineers try to determine what caused helium leaks and thruster problems during the first part of the spacecraft’s journey.
While NASA and Boeing officials are confident that the Starliner can bring its crew home, Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager, noted Wednesday that SpaceX is an alternative option.
“The great thing about the Commercial Crew Program is we have two vehicles,” Stich said, referring to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, which routinely launches on the Falcon 9, and the Starliner.
“We have a little bit more time to look at the data and then make a decision whether we need to do something different,” Stich said, referring to the flexibility SpaceX could provide to the International Space Station schedule and the Starliner test flight.
The Falcon 9, SpaceX’s most prolific launch vehicle, and the company’s Crew Dragon capsule also have some notable astronaut missions planned. That includes plans to take tech billionaire Jared Isaacman and three crewmates on a trip to space, a mission that’s expected to include the first-ever spacewalk by private astronauts.
In August, SpaceX is also expected to fly NASA astronauts to the International Space Station as part of a long-term contract with the space agency.
Musk said that while the Starlink satellites launched Thursday have been launched, they may be too close to Earth to stay there for long.
According to SpaceX, 13 of the 20 Starlink satellites aboard the Falcon 9 rocket had the ability to connect directly to cellular networks.
In an update posted after 1:30 a.m. ET, SpaceX said it had contacted five of the satellites and was attempting to raise their orbits. It was not clear how many of the five had mobile capabilities.
“We’re updating the satellite software to run the ion engines at their equivalent of warp 9,” Musk said. “Unlike a Star Trek episode, this probably won’t work, but it’s worth a try.”
According to the company, SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are designed to disintegrate upon re-entry into the atmosphere. If the satellites do fall out of orbit, they will not pose a danger to people on the ground.
However, recent incidents have shown that space debris can unexpectedly survive re-entry into the atmosphere.
It’s unclear what the accident means for the future of SpaceX’s Falcon 9. Typically, rockets remain grounded for months after a failure while engineers try to determine the cause and verify the safety of the vehicle.
NASA did not comment to CNN Friday morning. SpaceX also did not respond, but it does not typically respond to news inquiries.
The last time a Falcon 9 rocket failed in flight was in June 2015, when the launch vehicle was powering a cargo mission to the International Space Station. The rocket was grounded for about six months after that accident before flying again in December 2015.
Another problem occurred in September 2016, when a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a satellite exploded on the launch pad before launch. The rocket did not fly for another four and a half months.
According to SpaceX’s website, the Falcon 9 has flown more than 350 missions in total.