In a post on X, SpaceX stated that the maximum available thrust was implausible to raise the satellites successfully, despite the effort, the satellites return and may burn up (Image: X @SpaceX)
Tech mogul Elon Musk’s SpaceX has jinxed its rocket mission for the first time in a decade as it may have fallen through an orbit so low to the atmosphere expecting to flare. The Falcon 9 rocket was headed up from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Santa Barbara region which is situated in California.
It was loaded with 20 Starlink on Thursday night and reportedly collapsed after an hour failing the mission. The upper-stage engine’s misfunction and sudden liquid oxygen led to its fall. Flight controllers attempted to boost the Starlink with onboard ion thrusters and were able to contact half of the satellites. But in vain the rocket crossed 84 miles above Earth not even more than half the planned altitude.
In a post on X, SpaceX stated that the maximum available thrust was implausible to raise the satellites successfully, despite the effort, the satellites return and may burn up. The company didn’t provide any details regarding this reentry falling toward the Earth’s atmosphere. There are more than 6,000 Starlink satellites that provide internet service to the most outback areas orbiting the Earth.
Each pass through perigee removes 5+ km of altitude from the highest point in the satellite orbit. At this level of drag, our maximum available thrust is unlikely to be enough to successfully raise the satellites.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 12, 2024
SpaceX owner Elon Musk explained about ion thrusters which are considered as a type of electric actuation used in spacecraft. Currently, they have attempted contact with 5 of the satellites and are about to raise the ion thrusters within them. The company is updating its satellite software to run the ion thrusters as equal to warp 9 he added.
We’re 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.
The satellite thrusters need to raise orbit faster than atmospheric drag pulls them down or they burn up.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 12, 2024
The rocket mission failure was reported during the 2025 launch due to the cargo run to the space station and another rocket exploded the following year as a part of ground testing. In this latest rocket launch, The Federal Aviation Administration said that the problem would be resolved by attempting another flight.
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It’s doubtful that the latest jinx could impact the coming mission scheduled for July 31 which would be launched in Florida aiming to fly for the first private spacewalk. Following that an astronaut flight for NASA is intended to be landed at the International Space Station in August.
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