SpaceX Rocket Accident Leaves Starlink Satellites In Wrong Orbit

A SpaceX rocket has failed for the first time in nearly a decade, leaving the company’s internet satellites doomed to destruction.

ADVERTISEMENT

A SpaceX rocket has failed for the first time in nearly a decade, leaving the company’s internet satellites in an orbit so low that they're doomed to fall through the atmosphere and burn up.

The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from California on Thursday night, carrying 20 Starlink satellites. Several minutes into the flight, the upper-stage engine malfunctioned.

SpaceX on Friday blamed a liquid oxygen leak.

The company said flight controllers managed to make contact with half of the satellites and attempted to boost them to a higher orbit using onboard ion thrusters.

But with the low end of their orbit only 135 km above Earth - less than half what was intended - "our maximum available thrust is unlikely to be enough to successfully raise the satellites," the company said via X.

SpaceX said the satellites will re-enter the atmosphere and burn up. There was no mention of when they might come down. More than 6,000 orbiting Starlinks currently provide internet service to customers in some of the most remote corners of the world.

The Federal Aviation Administration said the problem must be fixed before Falcon rockets can fly again.

It was not known if or how the accident might impact SpaceX's upcoming crew flights.

A billionaire's spaceflight is scheduled for July 31 from Florida with plans for the first private spacewalk, followed in mid-August by an astronaut flight to the International Space Station for NASA.

The tech entrepreneur who will lead the private flight, Jared Isaacman, said on Friday that SpaceX's Falcon 9 has "an incredible track record" as well as an emergency escape system.

The last launch failure occurred in 2015 during a space station cargo run. Another rocket exploded the following year during testing on the ground.

RECENT NEWS

Cross Us Off The List: Why Locals In This Tiny European Village Want Its UNESCO Status Removed

Some residents believe they would be better off if the village was removed from the prestigious list. Read more

'Our Main Export Is Joy': Why Europeans Are Flocking To Brazil In Record Numbers

Brazil closed 2025 as the world's fastest-growing international destination, driven by new air routes and a growing push... Read more

Spain Plans To Focus On Quality Over Quantity As Tourist Numbers Hit Record High

Spain has struggled to balance tourism with local life, as residents complain of housing shortages and rising costs. Read more

EU's New Entry/Exit System Has Had A Shaky Start. Heres What Travellers Need To Know

Travellers can expect information campaigns and awareness-raising activities at border crossing points. Read more

Rome Tourists Have To Pay To Get Up Close To The Trevi Fountain From Today

Authorities say the goal is to stop tourists from "eating ice cream or pizza on a monument that deserves the proper resp... Read more

'Stigmatised Territory': Why Tourists Have Abandoned Rio's 'posh' Attractions For These Favelas

The "often-stigmatised territories" of Rio de Janeiro are experiencing a tourist boom, and it's pumping cash into low-in... Read more