SpaceX's Falcon 9 Suffers Rare Failure, Risking Starlink Satellites

SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket experienced a second-stage engine failure, imperiling 20 Starlink satellites. This incident marks the first Falcon 9 failure in over seven years and poses risks for the satellites re-entering Earth's atmosphere. SpaceX's investigation might impact upcoming missions.

A second-stage engine on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket malfunctioned in space Thursday night, endangering its payload of Starlink satellites. It's the first failure in over seven years for the rocket the global space industry relies on.

About an hour after lift-off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, the rocket's second stage failed to reignite, deploying 20 Starlink satellites into a much lower orbit than planned. These satellites now risk burning up in Earth's atmosphere.

Elon Musk, SpaceX CEO, mentioned on social media that the attempt to reignite the engine led to an "engine RUD" (Rapid Unscheduled Disassembly), likely an explosion. SpaceX is updating the satellites' software to fire onboard thrusters harder to avoid this re-entry.

This mission marks Falcon 9's 354th launch and breaks a successful streak since its last failure in 2016. Former VP of propulsion, Tom Mueller, praised the team's record and expressed confidence in fixing the issue.

Despite being an in-house mission, the rocket's failure and ensuing investigation may delay upcoming customer missions. Falcon 9 is the only U.S. rocket capable of transporting NASA crews to the International Space Station.

NASA has been silent on the impact of this failure, as it concentrates on resolving unrelated issues with Boeing's Starliner. SpaceX, valued at $200 billion, continues its ambitious goal of internet network expansion, having launched around 7,000 Starlink satellites since 2018.

Industry analysts estimate the satellites on Thursday's mission could be worth at least $10 million combined.

(With inputs from agencies.)