Another Failed SpaceX Launch: All Falcon 9 Rockets Suspended for Investigation

Falcon 9 rockets from SpaceX, one of Elon Musk’s companies, will undergo a detailed technical evaluation as part of an investigation after one of them failed its mission, unable to put 20 more satellites into orbit in the Starlink constellation.

According to preliminary data released by SpaceX, “the first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket worked normally and fulfilled its function. But as the second stage continued on its way, loss of liquid oxygen has occured, causing the entire mission to fail.”

Because the spacecraft did not perform any of the planned thrusts, the satellites ended up in a very “low” orbit with a lower-than-expected perigee at an altitude of only 135 kilometers. “The satellites will reenter the atmosphere and completely disintegrate,” Elon Musk’s company said, stressing that “the debris poses no threat to other satellites, nor to the International Space Station (ISS), which is located at an altitude of 330-430 kilometers, nor for the safety of Earth’s inhabitants.”