SpaceX Falcon 9 Cleared for Flight After Recent Investigation

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted SpaceX approval to resume flight operations with its Falcon 9 rocket despite an ongoing investigation into a recent landing anomaly during a Starlink mission. SpaceX submitted a request to return to flight on Thursday, and the FAA approved it on Friday, stating that flights may resume provided all other licensing requirements are met.

Recent Falcon 9 Grounding Following Landing Failure:

The FAA grounded the Falcon 9 on Wednesday after an attempt to land its reusable first-stage booster back on Earth failed during a routine Starlink mission. The rocket successfully launched a batch of Starlink internet satellites from Florida, but the booster toppled into the ocean after a fiery touchdown attempt on a sea-faring barge.

This incident marked the second grounding of the Falcon 9 this year. The first occurred in July following a second-stage failure in space that resulted in the loss of a batch of Starlink satellites. After the July grounding, SpaceX was able to return the Falcon 9 to flight just 15 days later, following an expedited approval from the FAA.

Falcon 9’s Role and Upcoming Missions:

Groundings of the Falcon 9, a rocket critical to Western satellite launches and human spaceflight, are rare. Since its first launch in 2010, Falcon 9 has established itself as a workhorse for SpaceX, with a sizable fleet of reusable boosters, enabling the company to outpace rivals in launch frequency.

Falcon 9 is also scheduled to launch two NASA astronauts aboard a Crew Dragon spacecraft in late September. This mission is particularly important as it will bring home the two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station after riding Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft.

Impact on SpaceX’s Launch Schedule:

The landing failure has already delayed another Starlink mission, which was set to launch from SpaceX’s other launch site in southern California shortly after Wednesday’s flight.

The company called off that mission following the landing anomaly. Despite the setback, SpaceX is expected to maintain its ambitious launch schedule with the FAA’s approval to return to flight.