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SpaceX details Falcon 9 anomaly that temporarily grounded the rocket fleet
- SpaceX experienced an anomaly with Falcon 9 booster B1086 during the Starlink 12-20 mission, leading to a fire post-landing and subsequent loss of the booster.
- The fire was contained in the engine compartment, demonstrating the design's effectiveness in limiting damage to a single engine.
- Initial investigation revealed a fuel leak in the first stage booster causing the fire; further analysis is ongoing to determine the root cause.
- Following the mishap, regulatory authorities like the FAA grounded the Falcon 9 fleet temporarily for safety assessments.
- NASA and SpaceX conducted evaluations to ensure safe operation for upcoming missions like Crew-10, SPHEREx, and PUNCH.
- SpaceX faced another issue during the Starlink 11-4 mission when a small oxygen leak led to an upper stage problem affecting attitude control.
- Despite the issue, Starlink satellites deployed correctly, but the rocket stage reentered the atmosphere over Poland in a passivation event.
- Enhanced checks and safety measures were implemented by SpaceX to prevent similar incidents and maintain launch readiness.
- SpaceX conducted a static fire test for the Crew-10 mission to evaluate fixes and readiness, emphasizing safety in crewed missions.
- SpaceX has dealt with upper stage issues in previous missions but continues to address and mitigate risks to ensure mission success and safety.
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