FALCON-9 (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has grounded SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket following an upper stage engine failure that left 20 Starlink satellites in an unsustainable orbit. 

Falcon-9

• About: It is a partially reusable medium-lift launch vehicle that can carry cargo and crew into Earth orbit.
• It can also be used as an expendable heavy-lift launch vehicle
• Launched by:  American aerospace company SpaceX. 

o SpaceX: A private spaceflight company, founded by Elon Musk, that sends satellites and people to space, including NASA crews to the International Space Station (ISS).

• The rocket has two stages: 

o First stage or booster stage: It comprises nine Merlin engines (a family of rocket engines developed by SpaceX), and aluminium-lithium alloy tanks containing liquid oxygen and rocket-grade kerosene propellant. 

o Second stage: It consists of a single Merlin engine.

• The first stage, which is reusable, is capable of re-entering the atmosphere, and landing vertically after separating from the second stage.

Problem with Falcon 9

• Technical Failure: The rocket’s second stage experienced a liquid oxygen leak, and failed to complete a second, short engine burn needed to put 20 Starlink satellites in the correct orbit.
• Engine Anomaly: After a planned relight of the upper stage engine to raise perigee — or the lowest point of orbit — the Merlin Vacuum engine experienced an anomaly and was unable to complete its second burn.
• Orbital Inaccuracy: Although the stage survived and still deployed the satellites, it did not successfully circularize its orbit. 
• Safety Assurance: SpaceX claimed that the stranded satellites do not pose any threat to other satellites, or public safety as they are expected to entirely burn up in the Earth’s atmosphere.