FAA Grounds SpaceX's Falcon 9 After Landing Failure

The FAA has grounded SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket after a failed landing attempt during a Starlink mission, marking the second grounding of the rocket this year. The reusable booster toppled into the ocean after a fiery touchdown. An investigation has been mandated by the FAA.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday announced that SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket has been grounded. This decision follows a failed attempt to land back on Earth during a routine Starlink mission, marking the rocket's second grounding this year.

The Falcon 9 successfully launched a batch of Starlink internet satellites into orbit early Wednesday morning. However, the reusable first stage booster, which was intended to land on a sea-faring barge, instead toppled into the ocean after a fiery touchdown, as shown in a SpaceX live stream. An FAA spokesman stated, "The incident involved the failure of the Falcon 9 booster rocket while landing on a droneship at sea. No public injuries or public property damage have been reported. The FAA is requiring an investigation."

Such groundings are uncommon for the Falcon 9, a rocket that much of the Western world depends on for satellite and human space missions. The rocket was last grounded in July for the first time since 2016, following a second-stage failure in space that resulted in the loss of a batch of Starlink satellites. The FAA regulates private rockets and launch site safety to ensure public safety. The agency has mandated an investigation, which it will oversee.