SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, has received approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resume flights of its Falcon 9 rocket. This comes after a brief grounding following a rare inflight failure during a launch of Starlink satellites on July 11.
The FAA determined that there were no public safety issues involved in the mishap, allowing SpaceX to return to flight operations while the overall investigation remains open. The clearance came just 15 days after the incident, which is unusually quick for a flight failure.
SpaceX has argued that its rapid launch pace, with an average of one launch every two to three days this year, along with the extensive flight data from over 300 consecutive successful orbital launches, supports a quicker return to service. The company emphasized that safety and reliability are at the core of its operations and that its current cadence would not have been possible without a strong focus on these factors.
During the July 11 launch, the rocket’s lower first stage performed as expected, but the upper second stage, which has a single engine, failed to reignite as planned. SpaceX has traced the cause of the failure to a tube called a “sense line” in the rocket’s system for liquid oxygen, one of the propellants used to power the engine of the second stage. A loose clamp for that tube and the intense vibration of the engine led to cracking, resulting in a leak of liquid oxygen and damage to the engine.
To prevent similar issues in the future, SpaceX will remove the tube and its related pressure sensor from the rocket’s upper stage engine for near-term launches. The company plans to rely on alternative sensors while it tests a longer-term design change under the FAA’s oversight. Additionally, SpaceX conducted a thorough review and inspection of all sense lines and clamps on the active booster fleet, replacing select locations proactively.
The quick approval from the FAA and SpaceX’s proactive measures demonstrate the company’s commitment to ensuring the safety and reliability of its rockets. With the resumption of Falcon 9 flights, SpaceX can continue its ambitious launch schedule, including upcoming missions carrying satellites. The company’s ability to adapt and learn from failures further solidifies its position as a leading player in the aerospace industry.
