SpaceX Falcon 9 Rockets Grounded After Malfunction

SpaceX's ubiquitous Falcon 9 rockets have been grounded after one malfunctioned while attempting to deliver a batch of internet satellites into orbit on Thursday night.

The launch, which occurred around 10:30 p.m. local time at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, is a rare mishap for SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which routinely flies NASA astronauts to orbit.

SpaceX released a statement explaining the failure, noting, “The second stage engine did not complete its second burn. As a result, the Starlink satellites were deployed into a lower orbit than intended orbit. SpaceX has made contact with five of the satellites so far and is attempting to have them raise orbit using their ion thrusters.”

On X, SpaceX Founder Elon Musk said his team was working on updating satellite software to run the ion thrusters at their equivalent of warp 9. “Unlike a Star Trek episode, this will probably not work, but it’s worth a shot,” Musk noted.

According to the company, SpaceX’s Starlink satellites are designed to burn up upon reentry into the atmosphere and do not pose any risk to people on the ground.

The Falcon 9 rocket is one of the most reliable in the world with 69 launches this year and more than 350 since its debut in 2010, according to SpaceX.