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.

(With inputs from agencies.)