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TwentyStarlinksatellites were untimely release during a failedSpaceXrocket launch last week — and now , observations have confirmed they all burn off up in the upper atmosphere after falling back to Earth . expert are currently investigating what happened , and the garden rocket creditworthy will remain grounded until this investigation is concluded .
On July 11 , SpaceX found a Falcon 9 roquette from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California at 10:35 p.m. ET , one day by and by than originally planned . The launching initially went as await , and the skyrocket ’s first stage successfully detached from the orbiter - laden 2nd microscope stage , before landing on a trailer ship in the Pacific Ocean . However , the 2d stage thenfailed to complete its 2d burndue to a fluid oxygen leak , leaving it stranded in a low orbit around Earth . ( It is presently unclear if the wetting caused the delayed launch . )
The second stage of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink satellites failed to fire properly after successfully separating from the reusable first stage, leaving its payload stranded in an unusually-low orbit.
The rocket ’s second stage was still able to loose its payload . However , the planet became stuck in an elliptical orbit around our planet , with a minimum altitude of 84 knot ( 135 kilometer ) — around half the height at which they unremarkably operate . At this elevation , atmospheric drag slowed the satellites down , and they start out to fall back to Earth by around 3 miles ( 5 km ) every nail orbit , SpaceX representatives write in astatementon July 11 .
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" At this layer of drag , our maximum available thrust is unlikely to be enough to successfully raise the satellites , " SpaceX representatives wrote . " As such , the satellites will re - enter Earth ’s atmosphere and full demise . "
This screenshot from the webcast of a SpaceX Starlink satellite launch on July 11 shows a buildup of liquid-oxygen ice on the second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket.
The fellowship gain control condition of most of the satellites and grade them to do burns at their maximum driving force , known as " warp 9 , " in a last - ditch endeavour to find altitude , Space News reported . But this was not enough to deliver the satellite .
Subsequent observation fromJonathan McDowell , an astrophysicist at Harvard University , have since confirm that all 20 artificial satellite meet a fiery death on July 12,Spaceweather.com describe .
The re - entering spacecraft did " not pose a threat to other satellites in orbit or to public safety , " SpaceX representative wrote . And so far , there have been no reports of the spacecraft reaching Earth ’s surface , according to Spaceweather.com .
The rocket’s first stage successfully landed on on a platform in the Pacific Ocean after detaching from the second stage.
This was the first Falcon 9 launch bankruptcy since 2016 and the full-grown single going ofStarlinksatellites since February 2022 , when ageomagnetic tempest tap 40 satellites from the skyshortly after the satellites were put into Earth reach .
SpaceX is now investigating what pass , under the supervision of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ( FAA ) , Live Science ’s sister siteSpace.com reported . The company will not be capable to launch any more Falcon 9 rocket until this probe is complete .
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SpaceX ’s interplanetary Starship rocket engine wassimilarly ground by the FAA in 2023after itexploded minutes after take - offduring its first test flight on April 20 last class .
It is currently unclear how long Falcon 9 skyrocket will be grounded for . But one unnamed industry expert separate Space News that the spacecraft could be prime for months , which — if correct — would force a major reshuffling of the company ’s launch schedule for the rest period of the year .
