Falcon 9

ASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft while it was still docked to the International Space Station. From left, are NASA astronaut Suni Williams, Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, and NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Butch Wimore. Photo: NASA

According to NASA, this is standard operating procedure

Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will be returning to Earth this afternoon aboard Crew 9 after spending some 286 days in space. They and the two other Crew 9 astronauts, Nick Hague and Alexandr Grubonov will begin their fiery descent at around 5:11 PM ET, with a planned touchdown coming some forty-six minutes later at 5:57 PM ET.

NASA said this morning that Crew Dragon will splash down in the Gulf of America, relatively near Tallahassee, Florida.

Suni Williams waves goodbye to crewmates on ISS last night before hatch closure.
Video: NASA livestream

Afterwards, SpaceX will begin recovery efforts on the capsule, leading to the astronauts and cosmonaut exiting Crew Dragon once it is brought aboard SpaceX’s recovery vessel at sea.

As first reported on LiveScience.com, one thing that may surprise casual viewers tuning in to see Wilmore and Williams exit the Crew Dragon capsule is the likelihood that they will be carried in stretchers after leaving the spacecraft. The same may happen with Crew 9 commander Nick Hague and Mission Specialist Alexandr Aleksandr Vladimirovich Gurbonov as well. Both Hague and Gurbonov will have spent 171 days in space when they return to Earth this afternoon.

Wearing their SpaceX pressure suits, Butch Wilmore (l) and Suni Williams (r) post with Nick Hague and Alexandr Gurbonov in ISS shortly before hatch closure on March 17, 2025. Photo from NASA livestream
Wearing their SpaceX pressure suits, Butch Wilmore (l) and Suni Williams (r) post with Nick Hague and Alexandr Gurbonov in ISS shortly before hatch closure on March 17, 2025.
Photo from NASA livestream

Talk of Titusville asked NASA for more information, and they replied:

As part of standard procedures, all International Space Station astronauts are placed, or seated, on a mobility aid by recovery teams to assist the crew members returning to Earth’s gravity after several months in space.

After completing medical checks, astronauts are transferred to a waiting helicopter and are taken to a waiting NASA aircraft to return to Houston to be reunited with their friends and families. Then begins the process of post-medical evaluations and reclamation to Earth’s gravity environment.

This process differs for each individual, typically lasting several months, as the longer an astronaut spends in space, the more difficult it is to readapt to gravity. Astronauts returning to Earth after living aboard the space station for extended durations have exhibited balance control problems, muscle weakness, and cardiovascular deconditioning.

NASA’s Human Research Program continues to innovate and pursue the best methods and technologies to keep astronauts healthy during their missions and when they return home. The International Space Station is helping prepare humans for future long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars, including the exercise needed to address the challenges of living and working in microgravity for extended periods of time.

You can view the process during the recovery of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-8 mission, beginning at approximately 1:53:00 into the broadcast.

NASA, March 18, 2025

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft while it was still docked to the International Space Station. From left, are NASA astronaut Suni Williams, Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, and NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Butch Wimore. Photo: NASA
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 members pose together for a portrait inside the SpaceX Dragon crew spacecraft while it was still docked to the International Space Station. From left, are NASA astronaut Suni Williams, Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, and NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Butch Wimore.
Photo: NASA

Typically, astronauts aboard the station dedicate two hours daily to exercise in order to counteract bone and muscle deterioration caused by weightlessness. Despite these efforts, Wilmore and Williams will undergo intensive rehabilitation in the coming weeks and months as their bodies readjust to the pull of gravity that almost all of us take for granted as part of our daily lives.

Crew 9 re-entry path from NASA

All four Crew 9 astronauts and cosmonaut will also receive extensive medical checks as part of the crew return procedure, and will also be greeted by family, friends and colleagues after their arrival in Texas.

Watch Crew 9’s Return

Pending weather conditions at the splashdown sites, continuous coverage will resume on March 18 on NASA+ prior to the start of deorbit burn. As of the time of this writing, the schedule provided by NASA calls for:

  • 4:45 PM ET – Return coverage begins on NASA+
  • 5:11 p.m. – Deorbit burn (time is approximate)
  • 5:57 p.m. – Splashdown (time is approximate)
  • 7:30 p.m. – Return-to-Earth media conference on NASA+, with the following participants:
    • Joel Montalbano, deputy associate administrator, NASA’ Space Operations Mission Directorate
    • Steve Stich, manager, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
    • Jeff Arend, manager for systems engineering and integration, NASA’s International Space Station, NASA’s International Space Station Office
    • Sarah Walker, director, Dragon Mission Management, SpaceX

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butch and suni

The long journey of Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore and the Boeing Starliner mission is finally near its end: If everything goes according to plan, one of the most talked about journeys in American spaceflight will come to an end with a splashdown tomorrow evening somewhere off the coast of Florida.

Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore
Photo: NASA

​NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams are set to return to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, concluding an unexpectedly extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The deorbit burn is scheduled for approximately 5:11 p.m. EDT, with splashdown anticipated around 5:57 p.m. EDT off the coast of Florida.​

Unexpectedly Extended Mission

Wilmore and Williams launched to the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, initially slated for what was described an eight-day mission. However, technical issues with the Starliner, including thruster malfunctions and a helium system leak, rendered it unsafe for their return. Consequently, the spacecraft returned to Earth uncrewed, leaving the astronauts on Station for an extended period.

International Space Station
Photo: NASA

As a result of the unexpected issues with Starliner, NASA chose to add Wilmore and Williams to the ISS Expedition 71/72 roster. Both astronauts remained active and engaged throughout their prolonged mission, contributing significantly to the station’s objectives, with Williams taking command of ISS itself during her stay. The pair participated in over 150 experiments and observed various Earth phenomena from their unique vantage point. Despite the unforeseen extension, both maintained a positive outlook and never publicly complained about their unexpectedly long mission.

SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, launched on September 28, 2024, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Launch Complex 40. This mission was notable for being the first crewed launch from this particular complex. The Crew-9 spacecraft, named Freedom, carried NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to the ISS, leaving behind NASA’s three-time space shuttle astronaut Stephanie Wilson and Zena Cardman, with both being reassigned to unspecified future missions.

Crew 9 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 on September 28, 2024 Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Crew 9 lifts off from Space Launch Complex 40 on September 28, 2024 Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

For its part, Crew 9 also experienced several delays prior to launch, primarily due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft and scheduling conflicts with other missions on ISS. Originally planned for mid-August 2024, the launch was postponed to late September to accommodate these challenges. ​

Crew 10

The arrival of SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission on March 16, 2025, marked a significant milestone in facilitating the return of Wilmore and Williams. The Crew-10 spacecraft, carrying NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, successfully docked with the ISS, allowing for a seamless transition of responsibilities. ​

The docking occurred at 12:04 a.m. EDT, followed by hatch opening at 1:35 a.m. EDT. The new crew members were warmly welcomed aboard, with the station’s population temporarily increasing to 11. This handover period ensured continuity of operations and allowed Wilmore and Williams to brief their replacements before their departure. ​

Liftoff of Crew 10 on March 14, 2025.
Liftoff of Crew 10 on March 14, 2025. Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Following the arrival of Crew-10, preparations for the return of Wilmore and Williams intensified. The Crew-9 spacecraft underwent thorough checks to ensure its readiness for re-entry and landing. Both astronauts expressed cautious excitement about returning home, acknowledging the inherent risks associated with re-entry but also their eagerness to reunite with family and resume life on Earth. ​

A Political Football

The extended stay of Wilmore and Williams garnered attention beyond the aerospace community. Public figures, including former President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, commented on the situation, with Musk referring to the upcoming return mission as a “rescue” operation.

However, both NASA and the astronauts refuted the notion that they were stranded in space or abandoned, emphasizing that their extended stay was a result of technical challenges and not political decisions. This set off a political firestorm, the intensity of which is rarely seen that involves spaceflight and NASA.

Current Return Plans for Crew 9

As the deorbit burn approaches, scheduled for approximately 5:11 p.m. EDT, mission teams are closely monitoring weather conditions and spacecraft systems to ensure a safe re-entry and landing. The splashdown is anticipated around 5:57 p.m. EDT off the coast of Florida, where recovery teams will be stationed to assist the returning astronauts. ​

Click to open NASA+ for live coverage of Crew 9 activities

In a press release today, NASA said that they and SpaceX met on Sunday, March 16th, to assess weather and splashdown conditions off Florida’s coast for the return of the agency’s Crew-9 mission from the International Space Station. Mission managers are targeting an earlier Crew-9 return opportunity based on favorable conditions forecasted for the evening of Tuesday, March 18. The updated return target continues to allow the space station crew members time to complete handover duties while providing operational flexibility ahead of less favorable weather conditions expected for later in the week.

NASA will provide live coverage of the agency’s SpaceX Crew-9 return to Earth from the International Space Station, beginning with Dragon spacecraft hatch closure preparations at 10:45 p.m. EDT Monday, March 17.

The successful end of the Crew 9 astronauts will finally end a long and controversial mission, and one that NASA surely hopes will never be repeated.

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It was a good day to have a good day here in Florida, and that’s exactly what NASA, SpaceX and Crew 10 had today at Kennedy Space Center.

Falcon 9 lifted off, carrying three astronauts and one cosmonaut toward orbit and the International Space Station just as the sun was starting to set in the west. Some seven and a half minutes later, SpaceX booster B1090 completed its duty for the day by landing at LZ-1 in Cape Canaveral, 8.8 miles south of LC-39A.

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Crew 10 launch
Falcon 9 rising off of LC-39A Friday evening
Photo: Derek Newsome

It was a good day to have a good day here in Florida, and that’s exactly what NASA, SpaceX and Crew 10 had today at Kennedy Space Center.

Falcon 9 lifted off, carrying three astronauts and one cosmonaut toward orbit and the International Space Station just as the sun was starting to set in the west. Some seven and a half minutes later, SpaceX booster B1090 completed its duty for the day by landing at LZ-1 in Cape Canaveral, 8.8 miles south of LC-39A.

Liftoff of Crew 10. Photo: Charles Boyer
Liftoff of Crew 10. Photo: Charles Boyer

Mechanical issues had delayed this launch, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 12th, but hydraulic issues with ground-side equipment scotched that attempt, with the second launch attempt planned for today. This evening’s attempt was literally picture-perfect, and Falcon 9 rose like clockwork after a quiet countdown.

Press photographers capturing the launch of Crew 10.
Can’t help but cheer: press photographers capturing the launch of Crew 10.
Photo: Charles Boyer, Talk of Titusville

Crew Dragon Endurance is now in orbit, with NASA Astronauts Anne McClain,  Nichole Ayers, JAXA Astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos Cosmonaut Kirill Peskov aboard. The spacecraft will track down ISS, with docking planned to dock autonomously to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET tomorrow.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

While not officially announced by SpaceX, Starlink 12-16 is expected to launch early Saturday morning.

  • Organization: SpaceX
  • Location: Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Pad: Space Launch Complex 40
  • Status: To Be Confirmed
  • Status Info: Awaiting official confirmation – current date is known with some certainty due to information found at secondary sources.
  • Window Opens: Saturday, 03/15/2025 6:28:00 AM
  • Window Closes: Saturday, 03/15/2025 10:59:00 AM
  • Destination: Low Earth Orbit
  • Mission Description: A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

Crew 10 Launch Gallery

Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
Liftoff of Falcon 9 and Crew 10, March 14. 2025. Photo: Derek Newsome
Photo: Derek Newsome
Liftoff of Falcon 9 and Crew 10, March 14. 2025. Photo: Derek Newsome
Photo: Derek Newsome
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Falcon 9

The FAA released a statement today announcing the draft results of an Environmental Assessment for more than doubling the allowable launch operations at SpaceX’s facility at Space Launch Complex 40 in Cape Canaveral starting in 2026. The assessment also contains information on the construction and operation of a landing zone at SLC-40 with up to 34 first-stage booster landings at the new landing zone annually.

The document outlines a Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

Falcon 9
Falcon 9

Talk of Titusville first reported on SpaceX’s plans to build a new landing zone at SLC-40 in January of this year. In 2023, the 2-pad launch site has been allocated to Cocoa, Florida based Vaya Space and also Phantom Space through the Department of the Air Force’s Launch Pad Allocation Strategy (LPAS), a program designed to support the commercial space market and demand at the Eastern Range.

FAA Statement

The FAA is posting for public review a Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) analyzing the SpaceX proposal to increase Falcon 9 operations from 50 to up to 120 per year from Space Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The Draft EA also reviews the construction of a first-stage booster landing zone at the site with up to 34 landings per year.

In order to meet the Department of the Air Force (DAF) National Environmental Policy Act requirements, the FAA has also posted a link to the Draft Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for public comment on behalf of DAF.

A virtual public meeting will be held on April 16 and the public comment period closes on April 24, 2025.

That assessment can be found here:

Draft Environmental Assessment SpaceX Falcon 9 Operations at Space Launch Complex 40, Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida: 91711Download

In it some preliminary conclusions are found:

No Degredation Of The Human Environment

“The FAA has preliminarily concluded that the Proposed Action would not significantly affect the quality of the human environment.”

No Adverse Effects On Natural Resources / Energy Use

[The FAA has preliminarily concluded that] “the Proposed Action is not expected to contribute in any substantive 17 manner to adverse cumulative effects to supplies of natural resources or energy use.”

Negligible Effects On Increased Hazardous Waste

“Cumulative effects of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions with the Proposed 13 Action would not contribute a noticeable incremental effect from hazardous materials and waste.”

Minimal Effect On Public Parks And Recreation

“Reasonably foreseeable future actions in the area, such as SLS launches at LC-39B, may require temporary closures of both the refuge and the seashore by USFWS and NPS. These temporary closures are related to crowd control and access for emergency services and are not related to a public safety hazard from a launch. If any such closures were to occur, they would be both infrequent and temporary in nature. As a result, the cumulative effects of other past, present, and reasonably foreseeable future actions with the Proposed Action are not expected to result in a significant impact to [publicly owned park and recreation areas that are open to the general public.] resources.”

No Significant Adverse Effect On Land Use

“The Proposed Action would not result in significant adverse cumulative land use impacts.”

No Significant Cumulative Effects On Coastal Resources

“There would be no significant cumulative effects to coastal resources.”

Little Effect On Wildlife

“Several of the projects [..] include construction and development in both undisturbed and 37 previously disturbed areas. Disturbance to existing launch areas or other developed and semi-developed 38 The FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation Cumulative Effects Draft Environmental Assessment 4-10 March 2025 Falcon 9 Operations at SLC-40 sites would have little effect on wildlife because these areas have limited habitat value.”

Some Effect On Wetland Habitats

“The Proposed 1 Action and some of the actions in Table 4-2 involve clearing of native upland habitat. Some of the actions 2 in Table 4-2 could also potentially involve clearing and/or filling of a limited amount of wetland habitat. 3 The Proposed Action would not directly affect wetlands; potential impacts would consist of 4 construction -related sedimentation from runoff.”

“Cumulative loss and fragmentation of native upland and 5 wetland habitats may cause long-term effects on wildlife breeding, roosting, or foraging, particularly of 6 individuals with limited mobility and those without corridors to another suitable habitat. Construction 7 noise and general disturbance could cause similar impacts, but the effects would be temporary.”

Have Your Say

A virtual public meeting will be held on April 16 and the public comment period closes on April 24, 2025.

The FAA invites interested parties to submit comments on the Draft EA. Instructions on how to submit comments can be found on the FAA webpage linked here: 

https://www.faa.gov/space/stakeholder_engagement/SpaceX_Falcon_SLC_40_EA.

Interested parties are invited to submit comments on the Draft EA by April 24, 2025.

The FAA will hold a virtual public meeting on the Draft EA on April 16, 2025, from 6:00 – 8:00 PM (Eastern). Interested parties must register to join the virtual public meeting. Registration is now available at the link below.

RegistrationLink: 
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_8qtN8bzPS1eApVobqo8poA

Dial-in phone number: 888-788-0099 (Toll Free)
Webinar ID: 853 9161 5696
Passcode: 743444

If any accommodation for public meeting is needed (such as additional translation services), please submit a request by April 4, 2025 to SpaceXFalconSLC40@icf.com.

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It wasn’t the launch we wanted, but it was a launch that we needed after the disappointment of Crew 10 scrubbing earlier in the evening last night: SpaceX launched Falcon 9 and Starlink 12-21 with another batch of 21 Starlink satellites from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Wednesday evening. Liftoff was at 10:35 PM ET, with Falcon 9 taking the southeasterly familiar path towards The Bahamas as has been the case with all other Starlink Group 20 launches. The mission was successful.

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Starlink 12-21 as seen from Rotary Riverfront Park in Titusville.
Photo: Charles Boyer, Talk of Titusville

It wasn’t the launch we wanted, but it was a launch that we needed after the disappointment of Crew 10 scrubbing earlier in the evening last night: SpaceX launched Starlink with another batch of 21 Starlink satellites from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station Wednesday evening. Liftoff was at 10:35 PM ET, with Falcon 9 taking the southeasterly familiar path towards The Bahamas as has been the case with all other Starlink Group 20 launches. The mission was successful.

Starlink 12-21’s trajectory
Graphic: Talk of Titusville

After multiple delays, Falcon 9 finally flew from SLC-40, ending a rare dry spell of launches from the Eastern Range. This mission was initially delayed for checkouts after an issue with Falcon 9 booster B1086 and Starlink 12-20. On that mission, the booster experienced a fuel leak and was destroyed by fire shortly after landing on March 2 and SpaceX spent time reviewing data from that event and also making sure it would not repeat itself during last night’s flight.

A crowd gathered at Rotary Riverfront Park to watch the flight of Falcon 9 from SLC-40 last night. The rocket's plume of flame temporarily turned night into day and vividly reflected light off of the Indian River.
A crowd gathered at Rotary Riverfront Park to watch the flight of Falcon 9 from SLC-40 last night. The rocket’s plume of flame temporarily turned night into day and vividly reflected light off of the Indian River.
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

High winds at ground level scrubbed a launch attempt on Monday. SpaceX announced an attempt but did not fuel the Falcon 9 used for Starlink12-21 on Tuesday, following the launch of NASA’s SPHEREx and PUNCH missions from Vandenberg Space Force Base and also because of the then-upcoming launch of Crew-10 (which was delayed last night after a hydraulic issue on the launch pad.)

After completing its part in the ascent of the mission, booster B1069 landed successfull on ASDS A Shortfall Of Gravitas after its 22nd flight. There have no reports of a repetition of the issue that ended B1086’s lifetime. ASOG and B1069 will now travel to Port Canaveral where the booster will be unloaded, transported to SpaceX’s refurbishment facility at Kennedy Space Center and ostensibly prepared for its next flight at some future date.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

  • Mission: Crew 10
  • Location: Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Pad: Launch Complex 39A
  • Status: Go for Launch
  • Window Opens: Friday, 03/14/2025 7:03:00 PM ET
  • Window Closes: Friday, 03/14/2025 7:03:00 PM ET
  • Destination: International Space Station
  • Mission Description: SpaceX Crew-10 is the tenth crewed operational flight of a Crew Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
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Crew Dragon on top of Falcon 9 at LC-39A, March 12, 2025
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville

Some days you’re the bug, other days you’re the windshield.

The scheduled Wednesday launch of the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station was scrubbed last night with a little more than forty six minutes left on the countdown clock. The delay stemmed from a malfunction in the hydraulic system of a ground support clamp arm attached to the Falcon 9 rocket, located at SpaceX’s Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Crew Safe And Still In Florida

The crew—comprising NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov—departed the Dragon spacecraft following the cancellation and will remain in Florida for the time being awaiting a new launch window.

NASA Astronauts Anne McClain (left) and Nichole Ayers (right) departing the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) on their way to LC-39A and Falcon 9 on March 12, 2025
NASA Astronauts Anne McClain (left) and Nichole Ayers (right) departing the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building (O&C) on their way to LC-39A and Falcon 9 on March 12, 2025
Photo: Charles Boyer, Talk of Titusville

The earliest rescheduled launch window is now set for no sooner than Friday, March 14th at 7:06 PM ET in an instantaneous window. That date is dependant on remediations of the hydraulic issue at the launch pad. At this time, the Falcon 9 vehicle itself and the Crew Dragon the astronauts will fly aboard is in good condition.

Weather

Weatherwise, the U.S. Space Force 45th Weather Squadron has not released a new Launch Mission Execution forecast for tomorrow. General forecasts for the Cape are showing a minimal chance of rain with easterly winds between 5-10 MPH with gusts not being a great deal higher than that. Keep in mind that the general forecasts do not consider launch criteria and cover much larger area than the ascent corridor at and above LC-39A, so the 45th may have a different outlook on the probability of acceptable conditions.

Another consideration will be winds and seas along the ascent corridor. That must be within acceptable conditions. Reliable forecasts for winds at the altitudes Falcon 9 will be at are not available at this time. Bottom line: wait for the 45th Weather Squadron’s forecast to draw any conclusions about weather conditions for the launch.

Should the Crew-10 mission proceed on March 14, the preceding Crew-9 team—consisting of NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, alongside Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov—would undock from the space station NET Tuesday, March 18. That timeline remains contingent on suitable weather conditions at the designated splashdown zones off Florida’s coast and may change over the next few days.

Falcon 9 with Crew 10
Falcon 9 and Crew 10 at LC-39A on March 12, 2025
Photo: Charles Boyer / Talk of Titusville
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William Gerstenmaier
Bill Gerstenmaier
William Gerstenmaier in 2017
Photo: NASA

By all appearances to most anyone outside of SpaceX, the flight of Starlink 12-20 last week was nominal, and afterwards, the landing of Booster B1086 was normal. The booster completed that landing successfully when it touched down aboard ASDS ‘Just Read The Instructions’ about 8.3 minutes after launching. Unfortunately during its ascent, a lot was going wrong inside the vehicle, leading to its loss shortly after it landed when a fire started 45 seconds after touchdown.

In early reports, SpaceX said the following:

“The first stage booster returned to Earth and landed on the Just Read the Instructions droneship, which was stationed in the Atlantic Ocean ~250 nautical miles off the coast of Florida. Following the successful landing, an off-nominal fire in the aft end of the rocket damaged one of the booster’s landing legs which resulted in it tipping over. While disappointing to lose a rocket after a successful mission, the team will use the data to make Falcon even more reliable on ascent and landing.”

A Deeper Explanation

Bill Gerstenmaier, Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability at SpaceX, outlined the events which led to the loss late last week in the Crew 10 pre-flight teleconference hosted by NASA. “Last week on Starlink G12-20, after a successful landing, an off-nominal fire broke out and flared into the rocket. It damaged one of the landing legs, which resulted in the rocket tipping over,” he began.

“We got a chance to see how the hardware really performs in an extremely off-nominal environment, and that’s a pretty rare instance to get a chance to see that,” Gerstenmaier continued. “The engine [on fire] was fully contained in the compartment like it was designed to be. The fire was pretty extensive, did a lot of damage, but the damage is what we’ve expected, what is accounted for in all our procedures and processes.”

Failure Was During Ascent, But Mission Was Safe To Continue

Gerstenmaier continued, saying, “It turns out there was a fuel leak during ascent. It showed up about 85 seconds into ascent. It essentially sprayed some rocket propellant, essentially kerosene, onto a hot component of the engine. It vaporized and created a flammable environment. But on the way up, there was no oxygen to interact with. With the fuel, so there was no problem at all during ascent. And it was perfectly fine. The mission was accomplished.”

Starlink 12-20 at 85 seconds into flight.
Via SpaceX livestream

In the mission profile, at 85 seconds into the ascent Starlink 12-20 and Booster 1086 was roughly 17.5 kilometers high, and about 38.8 km downrange. It had a little more than another minute of powered flight left prior to MECO, or Main Engine Cutoff, the point at which the first stage has concluded its boosting phase and the staging and landing events begin.

Starlink 12-20 Would Have Been Successful Even If The Fire Started Earlier

“Even if we would have had a problem [a fire] during ascent, this shows that the fire and the damage would be contained to just a single engine out, which still allows us to accomplish the entire mission,” Gerstenmaier stated, underscoring the booster’s resilience despite the anomaly.

Detailing the sequence of events, he explained that while the fire did not compromise the mission itself, it reignited after landing due to a combination of residual oxygen, fuel, and a hot engine component.

“Then coming back after we landed, about 45 seconds after we landed, enough oxygen came into the compartment where it interacted with the fuel and a hot portion of the engine, which was known to be hot. And then we had a fire, and subsequently, it blew out the barrel panel on the side of the rocket just like it was designed to. The fire was all contained,” he elaborated.

B1086 post-landing but pre-fire

Gerstenmaier emphasized that SpaceX is rigorously investigating the incident to pinpoint the exact cause of the fuel leak that led to the post-landing fire.

“So we developed a risk. We put all the rationale through that. We’re double-checking. We’re trying to see if we can understand what occurred that actually caused the fuel leak. It’s pretty difficult to determine what was cause and what was effect from the fire,” he said.

He acknowledged the complexity of the forensic analysis due to the extent of the fire damage.

“The fire was pretty extensive. It melted a lot of aluminum components. So it’s difficult to see. But we’re going through the forensics,” Gerstenmaier noted.

Despite the setback, SpaceX successfully recovered most of the burned booster, which remained aboard the autonomous spaceport drone ship ASDS Just Read The Instructions. The ship and booster remains returned to Port Canaveral over the weekend, allowing teams to conduct further inspections.

“It’s available at the Cape. We’ll continue to keep looking [for the root cause.] We’ll continue to keep briefing NASA [on our findings.] And we’ll be ready as we move forward. So, again, I think we’re in good shape with that. We have a good understanding, and we’ll improve our knowledge, and ultimately, we’ll be safer because of what occurred on this flight,” Gerstenmaier concluded.

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