SpaceX Halts Falcon 9 Flights Following Second Stage Anomaly

United States - Ekhbary News Agency

SpaceX Grounds Falcon 9 Fleet After Second Stage Incident

SpaceX, the pioneering private aerospace company, has initiated a pause in its Falcon 9 launch operations following a critical anomaly involving the rocket's second stage. The failure occurred during a recent mission, resulting in the upper stage's uncontrolled descent back to Earth. This event has triggered an immediate grounding of the company's workhorse launch vehicle, prompting urgent investigations and raising questions about the integrity of its launch cadence and the safety protocols surrounding its increasingly complex missions.

According to SpaceX, the issue manifested as an "off-nominal condition" within the second stage as it prepared for the deorbit burn. This crucial maneuver is designed to precisely target the stage's reentry trajectory, mitigating risks associated with uncontrolled re-entry. The mission in question, launched from California on February 2nd, had successfully deployed 25 Starlink satellites into orbit. The Falcon 9's first stage, completing its 31st flight, performed a routine landing on the autonomous drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' stationed in the Pacific Ocean. Initial flight phases, including the two necessary second-stage engine burns and satellite deployment, were executed flawlessly.

However, the critical deorbit burn sequence failed to initiate as planned. Instead, the second stage underwent a process known as 'passivation.' This procedure involves safely venting residual propellants to prevent any potential explosive event during atmospheric re-entry. Without the controlled deorbit burn, the stage re-entered the atmosphere independently the following morning, a trajectory observed by amateur astronomers like Jonathan McDowell, who noted the re-entry occurred between 01:30 and 03:30 UTC. The uncontrolled nature of this re-entry underscores the importance of the failed maneuver.

In an official update, SpaceX stated, "Teams are reviewing data to determine root cause and corrective actions before returning to flight." This incident is not the first time the Falcon 9's second stage has presented challenges. In July 2024, an explosion during ascent led to the loss of a Starlink payload. Furthermore, a previous incident in February 2025 saw debris fall over Poland following an uncontrolled re-entry after a failed deorbit burn attempt, highlighting a recurring issue that demands rigorous attention.

SpaceX has not provided a specific timeline for the resumption of Falcon 9 flights. However, the grounding has already necessitated adjustments to the company's launch manifest. A subsequent Starlink mission, originally slated for liftoff from Florida on February 6th, has been rescheduled to February 14th. More significantly, the grounding poses a considerable challenge to the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which was scheduled for February 11th. The ISS is currently operating with a reduced crew due to the early return of Crew-11, making any delay in crew rotation particularly unwelcome and potentially disruptive to ongoing research and operations.

During a recent briefing concerning the Artemis II mission's Wet Dress Rehearsal, NASA acknowledged the ongoing investigation into the Falcon 9 anomaly. A source within the space agency indicated that SpaceX has expressed confidence in resolving the issue promptly to ensure the Crew-12 launch proceeds as planned. Nevertheless, the insider cautioned that the company would likely need to demonstrate at least one entirely successful mission with the Falcon 9 before human passengers could be safely boarded. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also actively involved in the investigation, as confirmed by NASA. "Safety is our top priority," a spokesperson for the FAA told The Register. "SpaceX is required to conduct a mishap investigation. The FAA will oversee every step of the investigation, approve the final report and any corrective actions." This rigorous oversight by the FAA is standard procedure for launch-related incidents, ensuring accountability and adherence to safety standards in the commercial spaceflight industry.

Ekhbary News Agency