SpaceX has received approval from regulators to resume launches with its Falcon 9 rocket after experiencing an anomaly during a recent mission. The company had to go through a standard investigation overseen by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to determine the cause of the issue and the necessary corrective actions. This quick turnaround for SpaceX highlights the efficiency and expertise of the company in handling such situations.
The anomaly occurred during a routine launch of Starlink satellites on July 11. While the launch and stage separation went as planned, the second stage of the rocket experienced a catastrophic issue. Despite deploying twenty satellites, they were placed in an orbit too low to survive and all burned up in the Earth’s atmosphere. SpaceX later revealed that the problem was caused by a liquid oxygen leak in the insulation surrounding the second stage’s single Merlin engine. The leak was a result of a crack in a sensing line connected to the pressure sensor, which was caused by a loose clamp and engine vibration.
During the first firing of the second stage engine on orbit, the leak occurred, but the mission continued normally. However, the presence of liquid oxygen caused the engine components to become extremely cold, leading to a hard start during the second firing attempt. This damaged the engine and caused the upper stage to lose its orientation in orbit.
To prevent a similar issue from occurring in future launches, SpaceX has made design changes. They have removed the failed sense line and sensor on the second stage engine and conducted tests to ensure the effectiveness of the modifications. Additionally, they have inspected all sense lines on their active second stage fleet and replaced them proactively when necessary.
Prior to this incident, SpaceX had an impressive record of 335 successful launches across its Falcon rocket family. This included 96 successful launches in 2023 and 69 successful launches so far this year. While the overall investigation by the FAA is still ongoing, SpaceX has submitted its mishap report to the regulator, and the FAA has determined that there were no public safety issues involved in the anomaly. As a result, SpaceX is allowed to resume flight operations with the Falcon 9, as long as all other license requirements are met.
The company is already preparing for its next Falcon 9 launch, scheduled for July 27. This upcoming mission will carry another batch of Starlink satellites into orbit, further expanding SpaceX’s ambitious satellite internet constellation.
