On August 28, 2024, SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle touched down several hundred miles northeast of Cape Canaveral after deploying 21 Starlink satellites. The only problem: one of the rocket boosters toppled over and burst into flames shortly after landing. While this may seem like a disaster, this was actually the 23rd time that this particular booster was reused, marking a record for the company. The FAA has currently grounded all Falcon 9 flights until the cause of the fiery finale can be determined.
The crash comes at a relatively unlucky time for Elon Musk’s SpaceX, as the Polaris program is slated to begin as soon as next week. The Polaris program, beginning with the Dawn mission, is a planned private human spaceflight program that will be divided into three missions. This marks a historic moment in space-related technology, as the first spacewalk ever performed by private individuals is set to take place.
Sources:
Dinner, J. (2024, August 29). Private astronauts of Polaris Dawn mission patiently await SpaceX launch amid multiple delays. Space. https://www.space.com/polaris-dawn-crew-patient-delays
[Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4KDNxppKHo
Harwood, W. (2024, August 28). SpaceX launches 21 Starlink satellites, but rocket's first stage crashes on landing barge. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/spacex-falcon-9-booster-explodes-landing-drone-ship-starlinks-launch/
Brumfiel, G. (2024, August 28). FAA grounds SpaceX ahead of historic Polaris Dawn commercial spacewalk. https://www.npr.org/2024/08/28/g-s1-19934/faa-spacex-falcon9-grounded-polaris-dawn
Dunn, M. (2024, August 28). FAA grounds SpaceX after rocket falls over in flames at landing. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/spacex-launch-accident-booster-db396897fbb90d00ef18be886b3b1ce0
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