FAA Clears SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Rocket for Return to Flight

The regulator on Thursday said the vehicle is safe to return to action, including upcoming SpaceX Crew-9 and Polaris Dawn missions in August.

Friday, July 26, 2024 at 04:26 PM ET

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The four-person crew of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, (from left) Stephanie Wilson, Aleksandr Gorbunov, Nick Hague, and Zena Cardman, will fly no earlier than August 18. [Courtesy: NASA]

Key Takeaways:

The FAA has approved SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to return to flight after a July 11 mishap, keeping the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station on schedule for an August 18 launch.
The in-flight anomaly was traced to a cracked sense line causing a liquid oxygen leak in the second stage engine, leading to the loss of 20 Starlink satellites; SpaceX has removed this redundant component and implemented corrective actions.
NASA praised SpaceX's thorough assessment of the issue, which allowed for a quick resolution and FAA re-certification.
Boeing's Starliner, with its extended stay on the ISS and subsequent mission rescheduling, is currently causing more significant complications for NASA's overall mission manifest than the temporary grounding of Falcon 9.

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In a major boon for SpaceX, the FAA on Thursday gave the green light for the company’s Falcon 9 rocket—a workhorse for NASA and other clients—to safely return to flight.

The approval will allow SpaceX to stay on schedule with its Crew-9 mission to rotate astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS), which NASA officials on Friday said is planned for no earlier than August 18.

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.