SpaceX rocket fails: 20 Starlink satellites burn in space. What went wrong? Details here

SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base on July 11. Though a day late, the launch went off without a hitch. In the Pacific Ocean, the rocket's first stage safely separated and touched down on a drone ship. Due to a liquid oxygen leak, the second stage ran into issues and was unable to finish burning. Due to this, the second stage was forced into a low orbit where it was unable to complete its task, as per the reports of 'Yahoo News'.

Why did SpaceX rockets fail?

Despite these problems, the second stage was able to launch 20 Starlink satellites. Unfortunately, these satellites were positioned far lower than their intended operational height—at a minimum altitude of 84 miles (135 kilometers), in an elliptical orbit. Because of increasing atmospheric drag at this height, the satellites descended by roughly 3 miles (5 kilometers) for every orbit.

SpaceX: Insufficient thrust

According to SpaceX, there was insufficient thrust to bring the satellites back into a functioning orbit due to the heavy drag. The company thus gave the satellites orders to do maximum thrust burns, or "warp 9," in a final attempt to restore altitude. These efforts, though, fell short.


As per the reports of 'Yahoo News', astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell confirmed on July 12 that all 20 of the satellites had burned up during re-entry in the upper atmosphere. The public was informed by SpaceX that there was no risk to ground safety or other spacecraft from the falling satellites, and there have been no reports of debris falling onto Earth.

This event is the biggest single loss of Starlink satellites since a geomagnetic storm in February 2022, which brought down 40 satellites immediately after launch, and it is the first Falcon 9 launch failure since 2016.

FAA Investigation underway

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is overseeing an investigation by SpaceX in response to this failure. The Falcon 9 rockets will be halted until this study is finished. Though the exact length of the grounding is unknown, industry insiders speculate that it would extend for many months, potentially upsetting SpaceX's plans for the rest of the year's launches.

FAQs

What happened during the recent SpaceX Falcon 9 launch?
A liquid oxygen leak during SpaceX's July 11 Falcon 9 launch caused problems, preventing the second stage from entering the proper orbit and resulting in the loss of 20 Starlink satellites.

What actions did SpaceX take in an attempt to get the satellites back?
In an attempt to recoup altitude, SpaceX instructed the satellites to execute maximum thrust burns, or "warp 9," but these maneuvers ultimately failed, causing the satellites to burn up during re-entry.