For the first time since 2016, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket experienced a catastrophic failure after a liquid oxygen leak developed on the spacecraft’s second stage – an incident that will delay SpaceX launches until investigations into the mishap are completed.

The Falcon 9 launched Thursday night from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and was on a mission to deliver 20 Starlink satellites into orbit when the problem occurred.

“Upper stage restart to raise perigee resulted in an engine RUD [rapid unscheduled disassembly] for reasons currently unknown,” SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted on Twitter. “Team is reviewing data tonight to understand root cause.”

The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement Friday that it will investigate the accident and SpaceX will need its approve before resuming rocket launches.

“A return to flight is based on the FAA determining that any system, process or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety,” the agency said in a statement. “In addition, SpaceX may need to request and receive approval from the FAA to modify its license that incorporates any corrective actions and meet all other licensing requirements.”

Musk said the Starlink satellites aboard the Falcon 9 were deployed but in an orbit that was too low. The company said Friday on its website that the satellites are expected to re-enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up.

In a statement, SpaceX said that the Falcon 9’s first stage “performed nominally, carrying the second stage and Starlink satellites to orbit” and then separating from the second stage as expected. The first stage returned to Earth and landed successfully on a droneship.

“Falcon 9’s second stage performed its first burn nominally, however a liquid oxygen leak developed on the second stage,” the statement said. “After a planned relight of the upper stage engine to raise perigee – or the lowest point of orbit – the Merlin Vacuum engine experienced an anomaly and was unable to complete its second burn.”

The first in-flight failure for SpaceX’s Falcon rocket family since June 2015, a streak of 344 consecutive successful launches until tonight.

A lot of unusual ice was observed on the Falcon 9’s upper stage during its first burn tonight, some of it falling into the engine plume. https://t.co/1vc3P9EZjj pic.twitter.com/fHO73MYLms

— Stephen Clark (@StephenClark1) July 12, 2024

SpaceX said it worked unsuccessfully overnight to try to get the Starlink satellites positioned into their correct orbit, but they are too low to survive.

“The satellites were left in an enormously high-drag environment only 135 km above the Earth,” the company said. “As such, the satellites will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and fully demise.”

It added, “They do not pose a threat to other satellites in orbit or to public safety.”

SpaceX said it will work with the Federal Aviation Administration to investigate the Falcon 9 accident “to determine root cause, and make corrective actions to ensure the success of future missions.”

The FAA, in a statement to NASA Spaceflight, said it “will be involved in every step of the investigation process and must approve SpaceX’s final report, including any corrective actions.

“A return to flight is based on the FAA determining that any system, process or procedure related to the mishap does not affect public safety. In addition, SpaceX may need to request and receive approval from the FAA to modify its license that incorporates any corrective actions and meet all other licensing requirements.”

UPDATE: The @FAANews is requiring an investigation into Starlink Group 9-3. The FAA needs to determine public safety before Falcon 9 can return to flight.

See the statement to @NASASpaceflight down below: pic.twitter.com/qS8XGORIAy

— Adrian Beil (@BCCarCounters) July 12, 2024

 

The SpaceX and FAA investigations will most likely slow the rapid pace of Falcon 9 launches — one every 2.8 days so far this year. Company officials have said they were aiming to launch more than 140 times this year, up from 91 Falcon 9 launches last year.

It could also delay upcoming missions involving SpaceX Falcon rockets. The private Polaris Dawn mission led by the entrepreneur Jared Isaacman is scheduled for the end of this month . And in mid-August, Crew-9 for NASA is expected to take four astronauts to the International Space Station.

This is the first failure of a Falcon 9 rocket since 2016, when one exploded on the launchpad during the loading of propellants for an engine firing test. Between that explosion, which destroyed an Israeli satellite, and the malfunction on Thursday, SpaceX had enjoyed a streak of more than 300 successful Falcon 9 missions.

 Kenneth Chang of the New York Times contributed to this report.