SpaceX to launch Falcon 9 again after previous mishap

The company said it’s targeting 27 July for another launch of Falcon 9 with 23 Starlink satellites.

Following a launch anomaly on the Falcon 9 rocket earlier this month, SpaceX is ready to try again.

With oversight from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the space-tech company’s investigation team has identified the most probable cause of the mishap that stopped the earlier launch, as well as the corrective measures needed.

On 11 July, the Falcon 9 rocket was set to launch with 20 Starlink satellites, which provide high-speed internet across the globe. However, at the time of the launch, the second stage engine on the Falcon 9 did not complete its second burn during a routine Starlink launch.

Now, post-flight data reviews have confirmed that during the first burn of its second stage engine, a liquid oxygen leak developed inside the insulation around the upper stage engine.

The leak was caused by a crack in a sense line for a pressure sensor attached to the rocket’s oxygen system. SpaceX said this crack was caused by high loading from engine vibration and looseness in the clamp that normally constrains the line.

While the second stage engine continued to operate, the leak on the upper stage led to excessive cooling. This led to the engine having a ‘hard start’ rather than a controlled burn, which damaged its hardware.

This meant that the Starlink satellites were deployed too low and re-entered the Earth’s atmosphere.

“By design, Starlink satellites fully demise upon re-entry, posing no threat to public safety,” the company said. “To date, no debris has been reported after the successful deorbit of Starlink satellites.”

To mitigate this risk, SpaceX engineering teams are removing the failed sense line and sensor on the second stage engine. “The sensor is not used by the flight safety system and can be covered by alternate sensors already present on the engine. The design change has been tested at SpaceX’s rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas, with enhanced qualification analysis and oversight by the FAA and involvement from the SpaceX investigation team.”

The company said it is targeting 27 July for another launch of Falcon 9 launch with 23 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. There are further opportunities on 28 July if needed.

There are currently more than 6,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, according to astronomer Jonathan McDowell who tracks the constellation on his website. The satellites make high-speed internet more accessible to remote parts of the world, including the Black Valley in Co Kerry. Earlier this year, Musk launched Starlink satellite internet services in Indonesia to boost connectivity in remote parts of the island nation.

However, many are worried about the number of satellites taking up space in the sky above us. Astronomers and stargazers have raised concerns about making the night sky too bright to see constellations. Others have said the sheer volume of satellites could mean traffic jams in space, interferences with other missions, collisions and an increase of space debris.

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