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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket Experiences Rare Failure
Context: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket following the failure of its upper-stage engine.
- The failure marks an end to Falcon 9’s streak of over 300 successful flights in the past nine years. This incident on the 354th mission is the first failure since 2015 and the rocket has experienced a rare setback.
The Launch Failure
- The incident occurred on a recent launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
- Approximately 30 minutes after the launch the rocket’s second stage encountered a liquid oxygen leak.
- This leak prevented the completion of a critical second engine burn, which was necessary to place 20 Starlink satellites into their correct orbit.
- As a result, the satellites ended up in an eccentric orbit with a low perigee of 135 kilometres (the lowest point of the orbit), far below the expected altitude.
Implications of the Grounding Falcon 9
- This failure will significantly slow down Falcon 9’s launch pace, which previously led the industry with 96 launches in 2023.
- Comparison with China: China launched 67 missions in 2023, highlighting competition in the space sector.
- Mission Delays: Upcoming missions, including the Polaris Dawn crewed mission and NASA’s astronaut transport to the ISS, will be postponed due to the grounding.
- It will remain grounded until SpaceX identifies the cause of the failure, implements corrective actions, and receives FAA approval.
About SpaceX Falcon Rockets
- Falcon 1: Smaller rocket, operational from 2006 to 2009.
- Falcon Heavy: A more powerful rocket, first launched in 2018.
- Falcon 9 is a partially reusable rocket developed by SpaceX, led by Elon Musk.
- It is capable of transporting crew and payloads to low Earth orbit (an altitude of 2000 km or less) and beyond.
- It features two stages: The first stage is designed for reusability, capable of vertical landing back on Earth after separating from the second stage.
- The first stage is powered by nine Merlin engines and equipped with aluminium-lithium alloy tanks holding liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene.
- The second stage is powered by a single Merlin engine responsible for delivering payloads to their intended orbits.