A Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Starlink group of Internet satellites into orbit early Wednesday morning. The multiple rocket returned to Earth and tried to land on a platform at sea using the usual procedure, but due to a clumsy approach, it flipped into the ocean, as was visible on the live broadcast of SpaceX.
“The incident involved the unsuccessful landing of a Falcon 9 rocket on a sea platform. There are no reports of injuries or damage to public property. The FAA has requested an investigation,” said a spokesman for the agency.
Suspending the use of the Falcon 9 rocket, which most of the Western world relies on to send satellites and people into space, is not a rare case. The last time this happened was in July, the first time since 2016, after a malfunction in space left the Starlink group of satellites unusable.
The FAA regulates the activities of private rockets and launch sites so that they do not affect public safety. On Wednesday, the agency asked SpaceX to open an investigation that will be overseen by the FAA.