Edhat Staff
SpaceX successfully launched the Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base early Sunday following clearance from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
At 2:22 a.m., the rocket sent 21 Starlink satellites, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities, to low-Earth orbit.
This was the 17th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched NROL-87, NROL-85, SARah-1, SWOT, Transporter-8, Transporter-9, NROL-146, and now 10 Starlink missions.
The FAA launched a comprehensive investigation into a July 11 anomaly that resulted in the failure of placing Starlink satellites into their designated orbit.
The FAA’s statement revealed their review found no public safety issues related to the launch failure, allowing Falcon 9 rockets to return to action while investigations persist. “This public safety determination means the Falcon 9 vehicle may return to flight operations while the overall investigation remains open, provided all other license requirements are met,” the agency specified.
SpaceX identified the cause of the mishap as a liquid oxygen leak in the Falcon’s second stage, attributed to a cracked pressure sensor sense line. The flaw has been adequately addressed with a design modification and exhaustive testing at SpaceX’s Texas facility. This fix has reportedly been applied to the most recent launches.
No debris or safety threats have been reported from the deorbiting of the affected satellites, according to SpaceX.
Another Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched 23 Starlink satellites on Sunday at 1:09 a.m. ET from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This was the 14th flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched Crew-5, GPS III Space Vehicle 06, Inmarsat I6-F2, CRS-28, Intelsat G-37, NG-20, and now eight Starlink missions.
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