(NationalUSNews.com) — On Thursday July 11, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was launched carrying 20 Starlink internet satellites. It is believed that an oxygen tank leak caused a failure, so that the rocket was unable to complete its second burn. This left the satellites at much lower than their intended orbit.
The current orbit makes it very likely they will fall and burn up in the atmosphere as they do so. SpaceX has attempted to reposition the satellites using onboard ion thrusters, but it is doubtful these efforts will be successful.
SpaceX released a statement indicating that the maximum available thrust from the ion thrusters probably won’t be enough to raise the satellites to where they need to be. Addressing worries about their expected re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, the company has offered assurances that they pose no threat to other satellites or to public safety. This incident is the first SpaceX rocket failure in nearly a decade. The last launch failure occurred in 2015 during a space station cargo run. There was another incident a year later when a rocket exploded during testing on the ground.
After the incident, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk discussed the situation, saying that efforts are already underway to update the satellite’s software to run the ion thrusters at their maximum capacity. He referred to it with a Star Trek reference as their “equivalent of warp 9”. He acknowledged that, unlike an episode of the popular science fiction franchise, their efforts would most likely not succeed. However, he added that it was “worth a shot”.
The unfortunate incident highlights the intrinsic challenges inherent to space missions. Comprehensive risk management and contingency plans are vitally necessary in such difficult endeavors. Some have praised the SpaceX team for their prompt response as well as their transparency regarding what could be considered an embarrassing situation. The Federal Aviation Administration has stated that the problem must be fixed before the SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets can be launched again.
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