📷 Image Credits: CGTN
SpaceX, a leading space exploration company, faced a significant setback as its Falcon 9 rocket experienced a rare failure, leaving a batch of Starlink satellites in a precarious position. The rocket took off from California on Thursday night with 20 Starlink satellites on board. However, during the flight, the upper stage engine malfunctioned, leading to a critical liquid oxygen leak. This malfunction caused the satellites to be placed in an orbit much lower than intended, only 84 miles above Earth’s surface.
SpaceX responded by attempting to communicate with half of the satellites and using ion thrusters onboard to boost them to a higher orbit. Despite these efforts, the company acknowledged that the satellites are unlikely to be successfully raised to their intended orbit due to the limited available thrust. As a result, SpaceX noted that the satellites will reenter the atmosphere and burn up, with no specific timeline provided for this process.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) quickly intervened and grounded the Falcon 9 rocket until the underlying issue is addressed. This failure marks the first one for the Falcon 9 rocket in nearly a decade, with the last incident occurring in 2015 during a space station cargo run. SpaceX’s founder, Elon Musk, expressed confidence in the rocket’s track record, emphasizing the importance of identifying and rectifying the problem.
With over 6,000 operational Starlink satellites providing internet services worldwide, this failure raises concerns about the future reliability of SpaceX’s missions. Furthermore, upcoming crewed flights, including a scheduled private spaceflight at the end of July and an astronaut mission to the International Space Station in mid-August, may face delays and uncertainties as a result of this setback.
SpaceX assured that a thorough investigation will be conducted in coordination with the FAA to determine the root cause of the failure and implement corrective actions to ensure the success of future missions. The company highlighted the need to update satellite software to maximize the effectiveness of ion thrusters in raising the satellite orbits to mitigate the risk of burning up in the atmosphere. Despite this setback, SpaceX remains committed to maintaining a high level of transparency and reliability in its space operations.
