SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket fleet has been grounded for the third time in three months due to a second-stage malfunction following the successful launch of NASA’s Crew 9 mission to the International Space Station.
The second stage’s deorbit burn failed to operate as planned, leading to its disposal in the ocean, but outside the targeted area. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the anomaly.
This grounding comes as SpaceX prepares for key missions in October, including ESA's Hera mission and NASA’s Europa Clipper.
SpaceX, owned by Tesla billionaire Elon Musk, has suspended upcoming launches until it determines the cause of the issue, delaying missions such as OneWeb satellite launches and Starlink deployments.
Previous suspensions occurred in July and August following separate Falcon 9 upper-stage issues. NASA is closely monitoring the situation due to the potential impact on its Europa Clipper mission, set to launch aboard a Falcon Heavy in early October.