On August 28, 2024, SpaceX lost a Falcon 9 booster during its reentry. This is the first time in 3 years and 6 months that SpaceX has lost a booster. The booster, which had the serial number B1062, was used for the 23rd time, a record for Falcon 9 reusability.
The mission was a success, and 21 Starlink satellites were launched into orbit. However, the booster did not survive the landing. From the images broadcast during the live stream, it appeared that the B1062 was traveling too fast when it reached the drone ship. The landing legs could not withstand the impact, and one of the legs broke off.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has opened an investigation to determine the cause of the booster loss. SpaceX's permits to launch Falcon 9 rockets are now suspended, and the company cannot launch until the FAA has completed its assessment. SpaceX may request a waiver to resume launches before the investigation is complete.
The FAA will grant a waiver if the incident did not have any implications for public safety. This seems to be the case. The FAA has stated that: "Return to flight of the Falcon 9 rocket is contingent on the FAA's determination that any system, process, or procedure related to the anomaly does not adversely affect public safety. In addition, SpaceX may be required to apply for and receive approval from the FAA to modify its license to incorporate any corrective actions and to meet all other licensing requirements."
This procedure is similar to what occurred in July of this year when a Starlink satellite launch with Falcon 9 failed due to a problem with the second stage. The FAA granted permission to resume flights before the investigation was complete, and launches resumed 15 days after the incident. The exact timing of this incident will depend on the cause of the failure.
Possible Delays for Polaris Dawn
SpaceX currently has three main missions planned: Polaris Dawn, Crew-9, and Europa Clipper. The first two missions involve transporting humans into space, so they require special attention. For Europa Clipper, SpaceX will use the Falcon Heavy, which requires a reconfiguration of the Kennedy Space Center's Launch Pad 39A. This reconfiguration will not be done until after the launch of Polaris Dawn. If the FAA takes a long time to grant SpaceX permission to launch, SpaceX may decide to launch Crew-9 instead of Polaris Dawn.
The launch of the ninth long-duration mission is currently scheduled for September 24th. It will be a unique mission because there will only be two astronauts aboard the Dragon. This is necessary to allow the return of the two Boeing astronauts in February. Crew-9 will be the first crewed mission to launch from Launch Complex 40.
After this mission, SpaceX can prepare for the launch of Europa Clipper, which is scheduled for October 10th. As mentioned earlier, Polaris Dawn cannot be launched in the two weeks prior to Europa Clipper because there is not enough time to reconfigure Pad 39A for the heavy-lift vehicle. This means that if the FAA takes a long time to grant permission, the four Polaris Dawn astronauts may have to wait until the end of October to launch.
Conclusion
The loss of a Falcon 9 booster is a setback for SpaceX, but it is not unexpected. The company has a long history of successful launches and is likely to be able to overcome this setback. The FAA is investigating the incident and will determine if SpaceX can resume launches. Once the FAA has made its decision, SpaceX can begin planning its next mission.