SpaceX, the renowned space exploration company founded by Elon Musk, faced a rare mishap with its Falcon 9 rocket during the “Starlink Group 9-3” mission. The rocket, which launched from California’s Vandenberg Space Force Base, was carrying 20 satellites intended for low Earth orbit.
The incident involved the failure of the rocket’s upper second stage to reignite its engine as planned, leading to its destruction. Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, confirmed the failure and mentioned that it resulted in an engine “RUD,” which stands for “rapid unscheduled disassembly.” This term is used by SpaceX to describe explosive or destructive events during a mission.
Investigation and Grounding of Falcon 9
Following the incident, SpaceX grounded the Falcon 9 rocket pending an investigation. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is overseeing the investigation process and will need to approve SpaceX’s final report along with any corrective actions. The grounding of the Falcon 9 will likely cause delays in upcoming launches, including crewed missions like Polaris Dawn and NASA’s Crew-9.
Despite the failure of the second stage engine, SpaceX managed to deploy the 20 Starlink satellites. However, due to the lower than intended orbit caused by the engine failure, the satellites will not be recoverable. SpaceX attempted to contact 10 of the satellites to use their onboard thrusters to climb higher in orbit, but the high-drag environment of the lower orbit will ultimately lead to the satellites burning up upon re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
Falcon 9 has had an impressive track record of success over the years, with more than 300 consecutive successful orbital launches prior to this incident. The rocket has completed a total of 354 missions to orbit, with over 300 successful landings, resulting in the reuse of rocket boosters on more than 280 occasions.
The recent mishap involving Falcon 9 serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of space exploration. Despite SpaceX’s history of success, incidents like these highlight the inherent risks associated with pushing the boundaries of space technology. It is crucial for companies like SpaceX to conduct thorough investigations, learn from their mistakes, and implement corrective measures to ensure the safety and success of future missions.