Before that, groundings were rare for Falcon 9, SpaceX’s centerpiece rocket, which much of the Western world relies on for accessing space.
SpaceX is likely to seek FAA approval to resume flights in a similar manner, while its engineering investigation continues with oversight by the FAA.
The agency regulates rocket launches and rocket re-entries to the extent they may affect public safety.
Falcon 9’s first stage is reusable, but its second stage is not.
The Falcon 9 grounding does not directly affect Starship, SpaceX’s giant, next-generation rocket system that it has tested four times since 2023.
Organizations:
U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, SpaceX, Saturday, International Space Station, ISS, FAA, Falcon