SpaceX Banned From Launching Falcon 9 Rockets After First Stage Capsize

Yesterday, for the first time in three years, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket’s return stage experienced an accident during landing. The entire flight went as planned – the satellites were delivered to orbit, and the stage itself landed as expected, but due to a problem with the landing gear, it tipped over during landing. The accident forced the US Federal Aviation Administration to suspend all Falcon 9 launches.

The incident involved a Falcon 9 booster that failed during a landing at an unmanned spaceport at sea. There were no reports of injuries or damage to public property. “The return to flight of the Falcon 9 booster will be based on the FAA’s determination that any system, process, or procedure associated with the anomaly does not affect public safety,” an FAA spokesman told Reuters.

The halt in Falcon 9 rocket launches directly threatens the Polaris Dawn mission, which has been delayed for various reasons and has been most recently rescheduled for August 30.