SpaceX can restart regular Falcon 9 missions: FAA

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has announced that SpaceX can restart regular missions with the Falcon 9 rocket starting October 11.

The rocket was grounded after the Crew 9 human spaceflight launched on September 28. Following the Dragon crew deployment to the International Space Station, the second stage was disposed of in the ocean as planned but experienced an off-nominal burn.

Afterward, the second stage splashed in the ocean but missed the planned landing area. Thereafter, SpaceX opened an investigation to find the root cause of this issue.

FAA also denied permission to liftoff and land this rocket until the investigation concludes. Earlier this week, SpaceX launched Hera missions and received temporary permission to fly Falcon 9.

SpaceX Falcon 9 Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida (Source – SpaceX)

The first stage in this mission completed its 23rd and final flight but the second stage wasn’t allowed to reenter the Earth’s atmosphere. Thereafter, the company had to send this stage to interplanetary orbit.

In a new statement published on October 11, the FAA notified SpaceX on the same day that the Falcon 9 vehicle is authorized to return to regular flight operations.

“FAA reviewed and accepted the SpaceX-led investigation findings and corrective actions for the mishap that occurred with the Crew-9 mission,” wrote FAA.

Aside from these, FAA has also closed SpaceX’s previous investigation for Falcon 9 mishaps during Starlink mission on July 11 and August 28.

One of these mishaps caused the first stage to tip over a droneship after completing the landing burn and failed to stabilize the landing legs.

(source)