SpaceX Taking A Second Look At Second Stage Booster

SpaceX is temporarily suspending Falcon 9 launches following an incident with the second stage after the Crew-9 mission. Although the Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully reached its intended orbit after launch, the second stage encountered a problem during its reentry burn, landing outside the designated ocean area. SpaceX stated there was no threat to the crew, but safety protocols require the upper stage to land within a specific zone. The company has not disclosed the exact location of the splashdown. This marks the second mishap for SpaceX this year involving the Falcon 9’s second stage. The next major launch for SpaceX, the Europa Clipper mission to Jupiter’s moon, is scheduled for no earlier than October 10.