2024-07-27 15:13:59
On July 11, there was a glitch during the launch of a SpaceX rocket. Now the Falcon 9 is allowed to fly again – and possibly very soon.
Two weeks after the glitch during the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9, the rocket has been declared ready for launch again. The rocket is allowed to “resume flight operations,” the US aviation authority FAA announced on Thursday.
SpaceX then announced on Platform X that the rocket could be launched again as early as Saturday, July 27. In addition, the private space company owned by tech billionaire Elon Musk stated on its website that the breakdown was caused by a crack in a line connected to a pressure sensor.
This line is said to have broken due to fatigue caused by the high stress of engine vibrations. In addition, the clamp that normally holds the line in place has become loose.
Initially, the rocket launch went off without a hitch. The first stage of the rocket ignited without any problems and returned to Earth after detaching from the second stage. However, the second rocket stage experienced propulsion problems due to the liquid oxygen leak.
The glitch meant that the 20 satellites on board for Musk’s satellite internet service Starlink could not be deployed in a high enough orbit. They were placed in a lower orbit, which caused them to re-enter the atmosphere and burn up.
The Falcon 9 is actually considered to be very reliable. The last major failure up until July 11th occurred in September 2016, when the rocket exploded on the launch pad. In total, Falcon 9 rockets have already launched successfully 364 times, and they regularly transport astronauts and equipment to the International Space Station ISS on behalf of the US space agency NASA.
The FAA has now stated that the latest incident did not pose a threat to “public safety.” However, the agency’s approval for takeoffs to resume was accompanied by the note that its investigation into the incident was not yet complete.