Cape Canaveral, FL – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded SpaceX rockets following a failed landing of a Falcon 9 booster early Wednesday morning. The grounding comes as a crew of four astronauts prepares for the Polaris Dawn mission, which was already delayed due to technical issues and weather.
The failed booster was part of a Starlink mission, a satellite constellation providing internet from orbit. The rocket appeared to launch successfully, but an uncontrolled fire erupted during the landing attempt, causing the booster to crash into the Atlantic Ocean. This was the booster’s 23rd flight.
The FAA has initiated an investigation to determine the cause of the failure and implement necessary corrective actions. This grounding marks the second time the Falcon 9 rocket has been halted in recent months. The previous grounding occurred in July due to a failed second-stage relight.
The Polaris Dawn mission, as well as NASA’s planned astronaut mission to the International Space Station, will likely face significant delays due to the ongoing investigation. NASA has also faced setbacks with Boeing’s Starliner capsule, forcing astronauts to rely on SpaceX for their return to Earth.
