SpaceX Falcon 9 Grounded Again After Rocket Malfunction

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket again after the second stage malfunctioned during a NASA astronaut mission. This marks the third time in three months the Falcon 9 has been grounded. The FAA demands an investigation, while SpaceX is working to resolve the issue.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered SpaceX to investigate a malfunction that occurred during a NASA astronaut mission, grounding the Falcon 9 rocket for the third time in three months. The rocket's second stage failed to properly re-light its engine for its 'deorbit burn,' causing the booster to fall outside of the designated safety zone in the Pacific Ocean.

The NASA astronaut crew safely reached the International Space Station as planned, with no reported injuries or property damage. SpaceX confirmed the second stage experienced an 'off-nominal deorbit burn' and landed outside the targeted area. The company stated it would resume launches once it understands the root cause of the issue.

This incident follows previous malfunctions in July and August, which also resulted in Falcon 9 groundings. Despite these setbacks, SpaceX has maintained a rigorous launch schedule, far outpacing its competitors. Tensions between SpaceX and the FAA have heightened over launch licensing regulations and fines imposed on the company.

The current grounding does not impact SpaceX's next-generation rocket, Starship, which is awaiting FAA approval for its fifth flight test. Starship testing involves more ambitious objectives than previous missions.

(With inputs from agencies.)