Falcon 9 rocket set to return in action after second stage anomaly

SpaceX is set to return its Falcon 9 rocket in action by this week with a new Starlink satellite launch mission. 10 days ago, Falcon 9 carried out a mission with 20 Starlink satellites from Space Launch Complex 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base. The ascent was nominal and the vehicle performed well while taking the payload to orbit.

After the second stage’s first burn, a liquid oxygen leak was developed. The Merlin Vacuum engine experienced an anomaly while relighting the upper-stage engine and it failed to complete the second burn. As a result, the second stage failed to circularize its orbit. Therefore, it had to leave the satellite at a very low perigee of 135km, which is way shorter than the original altitude.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Ascent (Image Source – SpaceX)

This is the rarest failure in SpaceX Falcon 9 flight program with more than 364 successful launches. Meanwhile, the company has not detailed the cause of this failure. However, it’s investigating this matter and sharing information with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to find the root cause and prepare for the next flight.

“The FAA is reviewing the request and will be guided by data and safety at every step of the process,” said the FAA in a statement.

Arstechnica reports that SpaceX is ready to launch the Falcon 9 rocket as soon as late last week. Now, it’s looking for a liftoff no earlier than 12:14 am ET (04:14 UTC) on Wednesday for a new mission.