After an engine failure, Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched a payload of satellites into a lower-than-intended orbit.
SpaceX launched 20 Starlink satellites on July 11th at 10:35 p.m. ET. The satellites were carried by a Falcon 9 rocket, which lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The lift-off was one day later than originally planned.
The rocket had to deploy satellites into the Earth’s low orbit nearly an hour after takeoff after encountering an engine problem. This resulted in the satellites being deployed at a lower altitude.
"Upper stage restart to raise perigee resulted in an engine RUD for reasons currently unknown. The team is reviewing data tonight to understand the root cause. Starlink satellites were deployed, but the perigee may be too low for them to raise orbit. Will know more in a few hours," wrote Elon Musk on X about two hours after liftoff.
"RUD" is short for "rapid unscheduled disassembly," which could mean an explosion or disintegration.
@elonmusk, any update on the 2nd stage? https://t.co/rpQPdDj3pI
undefined S.E. Robinson, Jr. (@SERobinsonJr) July 12, 2024
According to a Starlink post on X, the second-stage engine did not complete its second burn. “As a result, the Starlink satellites were deployed into a lower than intended orbit,” the company wrote.
“SpaceX has made contact with five of the satellites so far and is attempting to have them raise orbit using their ion thrusters.”
During tonight’s Falcon 9 launch of Starlink, the second stage engine did not complete its second burn. As a result, the Starlink satellites were deployed into a lower than intended orbit.
undefined SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 12, 2024
SpaceX has made contact with 5 of the satellites so far and is attempting to have them…
Musk replied to the company’s post: “Unlike a Star Trek episode, this will probably not work, but it’s worth a shot. The satellite thrusters need to raise orbit faster than atmospheric drag pulls them down, or they burn up.”
SpaceX's launch webcast revealed a buildup of fluffy white ice near the engine while firing in space, potentially indicating a propellant leak. However, neither SpaceX nor Elon Musk has commented on the ice thus far.
The Falcon 9 is among the most reliable rockets globally. Thursday's launch marked SpaceX's 69th Falcon 9 mission this year and the 354th since the rocket's debut in 2010.
Prior to this launch, SpaceX had successfully completed 344 consecutive Falcon 9 flights since the company's only previous in-flight failure in 2015. SpaceX has launched 6,720 Starlink satellites across 181 Falcon 9 missions, with approximately 6,200 presumed operational.
In 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that falling debris from SpaceX‘s Starlink satellites could injure or kill a person every two years and possibly down an aircraft.
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