SpaceX Falcon 9 Rocket Grounded Amid Upcoming Human Spaceflight Missions

The FAA opens a mishap investigation into the company’s workhorse booster after it tipped over while attempting to land on a droneship.

Thursday, August 29, 2024 at 03:56 PM ET

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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 booster is a key component of the company’s crewed and uncrewed spaceflight missions. [Courtesy: SpaceX]

Key Takeaways:

SpaceX's Falcon 9 booster was grounded by the FAA after tipping over into the Atlantic Ocean following a Starlink satellite deployment, marking its second grounding in two months.
The incident, which occurred after the booster's record-setting 23rd flight, appears to have been caused by a collapsed landing leg upon touchdown on the droneship.
The FAA investigation could delay two critical upcoming crewed SpaceX missions: NASA's Crew-9, vital for returning Starliner astronauts, and the Polaris Dawn civilian spacewalk mission.
SpaceX asserts the issue was purely a "recovery issue" that posed no threat to the primary mission or public safety, hoping for a swift return to flight after identifying the root cause.

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SpaceX’s Falcon 9 booster, a key piece of the company’s crewed and uncrewed spaceflight efforts, is grounded for the second time in as many months.

The FAA on Wednesday announced it will require an investigation into Falcon 9’s launch of 21 Starlink satellites that morning, which concluded with the booster tipping over into the Atlantic Ocean. Depending on the length of the investigation, two crewed SpaceX missions that will rely on the rocket—one for NASA, the other for a billionaire entrepreneur—could face setbacks.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.