SpaceX
SpaceX Falcon 9 to temporarily return for Hera spacecraft launch
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has confirmed that SpaceX can temporarily return the Falcon 9 rocket for the Hera spacecraft launch mission.
In a statement to Nasaspaceflight, the FAA announced that SpaceX is authorized to return to flight only for the planned Hera mission on October 7. This mission will liftoff from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
On September 20, SpaceX launched a Crew-9 human passenger mission from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The flight lifted the two onboard passengers and deployed the Dragon spacecraft into orbit completing its primary objective. Upon reentry, the second stage experienced an anomaly.
Post-deployment, the space rocket maker explained that the second stage experienced an off-nominal deorbit burn. Although, it was disposed of in the ocean but landed outside of the targeted area.
The company has confirmed that the rocket will remain grounded while it investigates the root cause of the second stage missing its landing zone. FAA is observing this investigation and called off upcoming Falcon 9 missions while waiting for the investigation to conclude.
No Second Stage Reentry:
The space launch license provider has also shared details that the second stage reentry will not be allowed for this mission to “adequately mitigate the primary risk to the public”.
FAA mentioned that the reentry poses risks of a new second-stage mishap similar to Crew-9. Therefore, it is prohibiting SpaceX from conducting a regular launch schedule. However, the agency has refrained from providing any possible date for the investigation to wrap up.
“Safety will drive the timeline for the FAA to complete its review of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mishap investigation report and when the agency will authorize Falcon 9 to return to regular operations,” wrote the FAA in a statement.
Furthermore, there’s no confirmation on what will happen to the second stage after it completes the primary objective.
