How SpaceX Falcon 9 flight failure could affect future missions

Authorities have grounded the rocket until investigation is complete

The upper stage of the Falcon 9 rocket, carrying 20 Starlink satellites, malfunctioned, leaving the company’s internet satellites in a precariously low orbit. AP

The recent failure of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has cast a shadow over the company’s launch schedule, potentially delaying several high-profile missions.

With the Federal Aviation Administration grounding the Falcon 9 fleet pending an investigation, the launch dates of coming missions, including billionaire Jared Isaacman’s Polaris Dawn scheduled for July 31, and other critical commercial and governmental payloads, are now uncertain.

SpaceX attempted to launch its Starlink satellites on July 11 but Falcon 9’s second stage developed a liquid oxygen leak.

The rocket did deploy the satellites but not to a high enough orbit, with the Starlinks now expected to fall back towards Earth and burn up in its atmosphere.

The Federal Aviation Administration has now launched an inquiry and has temporarily grounded the Falcon 9 rockets until it is complete.

"The FAA will be involved in every step of the investigation process and must approve SpaceX’s final report, including any corrective actions," the administration said.

"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."

Rare incident

The Falcon 9 rocket is crucial to SpaceX’s operations as it launches satellites, resupply missions to the International Space Station and astronauts to space.

It has completed 364 successful launches to date and is a reliable rocket with a high frequency of flights.

The last in-flight incident involving a Falcon 9 was in 2015, when a rocket carrying a resupply mission to the space station exploded shortly after lift-off because a support beam was broken.

This caused a helium tank to come loose and overpressurise the rocket’s fuel tank, leading to the rocket breaking apart in mid-flight.

In 2016, a Falcon 9 exploded while it was being fuelled during a pre-launch test because of a problem with its helium tank.

Key launches in limbo

The rocket had several missions scheduled for the remainder of this month.

More Starlink satellites were meant to be launched on July 19 from a spaceport in Florida, as well as the Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission built by a Norwegian company later in July from a launch pad in California.

A rideshare mission also scheduled for this month was meant to carry several satellites into space, including the UK Space Command's Tyche, Japan's QPS-SAR-8 and the Tanager-1 built by US-based Planet Labs.

But the most-anticipated mission is the Polaris Dawn, in which the first civilian spacewalk is meant to take place.

The plan is for the Falcon 9 to blast off with the Dragon capsule on top, carrying Mr Isaacman and his three crew mates into space.

It is the first of three missions under the Polaris Programme, with the last involving a flight on SpaceX's deep space rocket Starship.

Mr Isaacman said on X, formerly Twitter, after the Falcon 9 incident that SpaceX had an "incredible track record" with the rocket.

"I can say from personal experience they are very transparent when issues arise," he said.

"I have no doubt they will arrive at a cause quickly and ensure the most cost-effective and reliable launch vehicle keeps delivering payload to orbit.

"As for Polaris Dawn, we will fly whenever SpaceX is ready and with complete confidence in the rocket, spaceship and operations."

The billionaire has flown with SpaceX before as part of Inspiration4 in 2021, which was the first all-civilian flight in space.

SpaceX is also supposed to launch the ninth rotational crew for Nasa in August.