SpaceX requests public safety determination for early return to flight for its Falcon 9 rocket

An unusual build up of ice on the second stage of the Falcon 9 that launched the Starlink 9-3 mission. Image: SpaceX.

SpaceX is seeking to resume launching its Falcon 9 rocket soon. In a statement to Spaceflight Now, the Federal Aviation Administration said the company was seeking a public safety determination.

That request was submitted to the FAA on July 15, according to the agency. If approved, it would allow SpaceX to resume launching its Falcon 9 rocket while the mishap investigation into the Starlink 9-3 anomaly continues.

“The FAA is reviewing the request and will be guided by data and safety at every step of the process,” the FAA said in a statement.

Following liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base on July 11, the Falcon 9’s second stage experienced a liquid oxygen leak, which prevented it from circularizing its orbit prior to releasing the 20 Starlink satellites.

That request was submitted to the FAA on July 15, according to the agency. If approved, it would allow SpaceX to resume launching its Falcon 9 rocket while the mishap investigation into the Starlink 9-3 anomaly continues.

“The FAA is responsible for and committed to protecting the public during commercial space transportation launch and reentry operations,” the FAA said in a statement. “The FAA is reviewing the request and will be guided by data and safety at every step of the process.”

Following liftoff from Vandenberg Space Force Base on July 11, the Falcon 9’s second stage experienced a liquid oxygen leak, which prevented it from circularizing its orbit prior to releasing the 20 Starlink satellites.

The FAA has two means of allowing a rocket to return to flight operations following a mishap. The first is that it approves a launch operator-led mishap investigation final report, which would include “the identification of any corrective actions.” Those actions need to be put in place and all related licensing requirement need to be met.

The other option is for a public safety determination to be issued. This would be an option if “the mishap did not involve safety-critical systems or otherwise jeopardize public safety,” according to the FAA.

“The FAA will review the request, and if in agreement, authorize a return to flight operations while the mishap investigation remains open and provided the operator meets all relevant licensing requirements,” the FAA wrote on its website.

Following the Starlink 9-3 anomaly, SpaceX described its preliminary findings on its website, noting that the liquid oxygen leak prevented the Merlin vacuum engine on the upper stage from completing its second burn.

“Although the stage survived and still deployed the satellites, it did not successfully circularize its orbit, but it did passivate itself as normally performed at the end of each mission,” SpaceX wrote on July 12. “This left the satellites in an eccentric orbit with a very low perigee of 135 km, which is less than half the expected perigee altitude.”

“At this level of drag, our maximum available thrust is unlikely to be enough to successfully raise the satellites,” SpaceX added. “As such, the satellites will re-enter Earth’s atmosphere and fully demise. They do not pose a threat to other satellites in orbit or to public safety.”

If the FAA agrees with SpaceX’s determination, the Falcon 9 could resuming launching. The company has tentative plans to launch both the Starlink 10-4 and Starlink 10-9 missions from its two launchpads in Florida later this week. This would be pending the approval of the FAA, of course.

That said, SpaceX may have to wait until the investigation is complete before it resumes launching customer and government missions, like the Northrop Grumman Cygnus spacecraft or the Crew-9 astronaut flight.

Following the anomaly, NASA issued a statement noting that it receives “insight from SpaceX on all items of interest about the Falcon 9 rocket, as part of the agency’s fleet following.”

“Crew safety and mission assurance are top priorities for NASA. SpaceX has been forthcoming with information and is including NASA in the company’s ongoing anomaly investigation to understand the issue and path forward,” NASA said in a June 12 statement. “NASA will provide updates on agency missions including potential schedule impacts, if any, as more information becomes available.”

Spaceflight Now reached out to NASA, asking if it required the SpaceX-led, FAA involved mishap investigation to be completed before NASA missions resume using the Falcon 9 rocket. This story will be updated when a response is received.