Source link : https://las-vegas-news.com/falcon-9-returns-to-the-skies-spacex-launches-starlink-batch-from-california/
Quick Turnaround After Technical Setback (Image Credits: Cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net)
Vandenberg Space Force Base, California – SpaceX successfully resumed Falcon 9 operations with a flawless launch of 25 Starlink satellites on February 7, 2025.[1][2]
Quick Turnaround After Technical Setback
The mission followed a brief grounding prompted by an anomaly on a February 2 flight. Investigators pinpointed a gas bubble in the upper stage’s transfer tube that prevented engine reignition for the deorbit burn.[3] SpaceX passivated the stage, which reentered over the Southern Indian Ocean about 10.5 hours later without reported debris.
Federal Aviation Administration officials cleared the rocket for return to flight on February 6. SpaceX implemented technical and organizational fixes to prevent recurrence, as outlined in the mishap report.[3] “The goal of this testing is to ultimately ensure space safety, effectively ensuring that all Falcon second stages completely deorbit, leaving behind no space debris,” SpaceX stated.[4]
Launch Day Precision
The Falcon 9 lifted off from Space Launch Complex 4 East at 12:58 p.m. Pacific Time. Booster B1088, on its 13th flight, separated minutes later and touched down on the droneship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.[2][1]
One hour after liftoff, controllers confirmed deployment of the 25 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. The upper stage performed nominally throughout, marking SpaceX’s 15th launch of the year.
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Author : Matthias Binder
Publish date : 2026-02-09 09:28:00
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