SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets grounded until FAA investigates failed Starlink launch

The July 11 failure of a SpaceX rocket’s upper stage engine that stranded 20 Starlink internet satellites in a low, non-survivable orbit is being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration and will likely delay at least one and possibly two upcoming crewed flights of the company’s Falcon 9 rockets.
Azernews reports.

The accident ended a remarkable streak of 344 successful Falcon 9 flights in a row dating back to 2015. The FAA, which licenses commercial launches in the U.S., said in a statement Friday that a joint investigation into the defect was needed before the workhorse Falcon 9 was cleared to fly again.

“A resumption of flight operations is contingent on the FAA determining that any system, process, or procedure related to the accident does not affect public safety,” the FAA stated. “In addition, SpaceX may need to seek and receive FAA approval to modify its license to include any corrective actions and to meet all other license requirements.”

Meanwhile, the July 31 launch of entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and three crew members on a commercial flight – Polaris Dawn – which will also include the first spacewalk by a private citizen is in limbo.

The failure could also affect NASA’s plans to send its next long-duration crew to the International Space Station. The Crew-9 mission is currently scheduled to launch on August 19, but that assumes the SpaceX investigation into the failure is complete by then and NASA agrees with the findings.

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