SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rocket, set to launch a crew for the first civilian space walk, has been grounded by the FAA after it fell over and exploded on its return from another mission.
SpaceX's reusable Falcon 9 rockets have been grounded by the Federal Aviation Administration for the second time in two months after one of them caught fire, fell over and exploded upon its return to Earth this week. The decision by the agency could further delay the historic Polaris Dawn mission, which will feature the first space walk by civilians. The crew, in a SpaceX Dragon capsule, will be sent to space by a Falcon 9, the company's workhorse rocket.
In announcing the grounding, the FAA noted Wednesday that while 'no public injuries or public property damage have been reported' it was 'requiring an investigation.” Last month, the Falcon 9 was grounded for two weeks after the second-stage engine misfired mid-flight due to what was later determined to be a liquid oxygen leak in a line leading to a pressure sensor. The mishap occurred July 11 during an attempt to launch a payload of 20 Starlink satellites.
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