SpaceX rocket fails!!!

[Legend]

I'm posting this early cause speculation is fun.

Here are two minutes of the SpaceX launch stream where the ice build-up began. https://t.co/7RY1slExDF pic.twitter.com/6t163rPA3o

— Chris Bergin - NSF (@NASASpaceflight) July 12, 2024

The main launch was fine and this burn looked good number wise, but something weird was happening. No confirmation from SpaceX that the starlinks were deployed so this might be the first falcon failure in hundreds of launches.

[Legend]

Watch Falcon 9 launch 20 @Starlink satellites to orbit from California, including 13 with Direct to Cell capabilities  https://t.co/aXuY7ZXXrO

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) July 12, 2024

It's a really cool looking leak. So awesome seeing the ice build up, fall off, and get blasted by the engine. I think there is too much to be water ice but I'm not sure what liquid on a falcon 9 would freeze like this. If it's anything used for the engine then they probably wouldn't have enough to perform the second and third engine burns after their coast phases, so I'm leading towards this being a genuine failure and probably a loss of mission.

Edt: official

Upper stage restart to raise perigee resulted in an engine RUD for reasons currently unknown. Team is reviewing data tonight to understand root cause.

Starlink satellites were deployed, but the perigee may be too low for them to raise orbit. Will know more in a few hours.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 12, 2024

Thus ends Falcon 9's launch streak. Will probably have to wait for starship for this record to be broken.

Wonder how long they'll be grounded since unlike every other rocket, they are pumping out these upper stages.

[Legend]

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

[Legend]

Thanks Jared. We will investigate the issue and look for any other potential near-misses.

We are tracking to do more Falcon flights this year than Shuttle did in 30 years, the vast majority of which are uncrewed.

A major advantage of this super high flight rate is that we can…

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 12, 2024

Also FAA has confirmed the obvious, that an official investigation is required.

[Legend]

https://www.spacex.com/launches/mission/?missionId=sl-9-3

Confirms it was liquid oxygen leaking.

[Legend]

Tenemos de forma preliminar la visibilidad de una REENTRADA correspondiente a la fallida misión Starlink 9-3 sobre cielos del sur de Chile y Argentina (Temuco, San Martín de Los Andes y San Carlos de Bariloche) ??????????????????

Fue vista hoy a las 10:46 UTC.pic.twitter.com/3QgrNFHMtw

— Frontera Espacial (@FronteraSpacial) July 12, 2024

[Legend]

https://www.spacex.com/updates/#falcon-9-returns-to-flight

x.com

Fastest return to flight ever, by a large margin.