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| SpaceX Fixes Falcon 9 Anomaly that Caused Starlink Satellite Deployment Failure: Details and Preventive Measures Image credit: BBC Science Focus |
SpaceX has identified and resolved the issue that led to the failure of its Falcon 9 rocket during a launch on July 11, which was carrying 20 Starlink satellites.
The problem arose from a leak in the upper stage's liquid oxygen system, caused by a crack in a pressure sensor line due to engine vibration and a loose clamp. This leak prevented the rocket from performing an orbit-raising burn, resulting in the Starlink satellites being deployed too low and subsequently burning up in Earth's atmosphere.
The upper stage's Merlin engine successfully completed its first burn and entered an elliptical orbit as planned. However, the leak caused excessive cooling of engine components, leading to a hard start during the second burn, damaging the engine and causing a loss of attitude control.
To prevent future occurrences, SpaceX has decided to remove the faulty sense line and sensor from the second-stage engine for near-term Falcon launches. The company stated that the sensor isn't essential for flight safety and can be replaced by alternative sensors already on the engine. This design change has been thoroughly tested at SpaceX's rocket development facility in McGregor, Texas, with oversight from the FAA.
SpaceX has conducted an additional qualification review, inspection, and proactive replacement of sense lines and clamps on the active booster fleet. The company has submitted its mishap report to the FAA and is preparing to return to flight as soon as Saturday, July 27.
The July 11 anomaly was SpaceX's first in-flight failure since June 2015, when a Falcon 9 broke apart while launching a Dragon cargo capsule to the International Space Station. Another notable incident occurred in September 2016, when a Falcon 9 exploded during preflight testing, resulting in the loss of the AMOS-6 communications satellite.
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