SpaceX has paused flights of its workhorse Falcon 9 after a second stage failure resulted in the spent rocket tumbling uncontrollably back to Earth.
According to SpaceX: “The second stage experienced an off-nominal condition during preparation for the deorbit burn.”
The mission, which launched from California on February 2 at 1547 UTC, deployed another 25 Starlink satellites. The first stage was on its 31st flight and made a successful landing on the Of Course I Still Love You drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. The first two second stage engine burns were successful, and the satellites were deployed successfully. However, the deorbit burn did not happen, and the stage was instead passivated.
Falcon 9 second stage firing above Earth
In this instance, passivation is the disposal of unused propellant to prevent an unexpected explosion during reentry. The deorbit burn ensures the re-entry can be targeted; in its absence, the stage re-entered the following morning. Astronomer Jonathan McDowell noted it was between 0130 UTC and 0330 UTC.
In its update, SpaceX said: “Teams are reviewing data to determine root cause and corrective actions before returning to flight.”
It is not the first time the second stage has posed problems for SpaceX. An explosion in July 2024 resulted in the loss of a payload of Starlink satellites, and in February 2025, the company showered debris over Poland after an uncontrolled re-entry following a failed deorbit burn attempt.
SpaceX did not clarify how long the Falcon 9 is to remain grounded. The company’s launch manifest has already been shuffled, with missions pushed back. The next Starlink mission was originally due to launch from Florida on February 6, but this has now been moved back to February 14.
More serious are the implications for the Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), which was scheduled for February 11. The ISS is currently operating with a reduced crew due to the early return of Crew-11, so a delay is less than welcome.
During a briefing on the Artemis II post-Wet Dress Rehearsal, NASA noted the investigation is ongoing. A space agency insider told The Register that SpaceX expressed confidence about the issue being resolved in time for the Crew-12 launch. However, the individual also cautioned that at least one entirely successful mission would likely need to be completed before loading a crew.
NASA also said the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was involved in the investigation. The Register has contacted the FAA and will update this piece if it has anything to share. ®