SpaceX Falcon 9 Grounded After Third Mishap in Three Months

The FAA has grounded SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket after the second stage malfunctioned during a mission to the ISS. This marks the third grounding in three months. Despite the mishap, the astronaut crew docked safely. SpaceX will investigate the issue before resuming launches.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that SpaceX must investigate the malfunction of its Falcon 9 rocket's second stage, following a NASA astronaut mission on Saturday. This grounding marks the third instance in three months for the rocket.

Despite the malfunction, the astronaut crew safely docked at the International Space Station as planned on Sunday. The FAA reported no injuries or property damage, although the booster fell outside of the designated safety zone in the Pacific Ocean.

SpaceX disclosed that the second stage experienced an 'off-nominal deorbit burn' but landed safely in the ocean. This incident, along with previous issues in July and August, prompted the FAA groundings. SpaceX stated it would resume launches after identifying the root cause of the malfunction.

(With inputs from agencies.)