Musk's Falcon 9 rocket falls into ocean after clumsy landing

(Patria) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced yesterday that flights of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket have been suspended after it failed to land during a routine mission to deploy Starlink satellites.

The Falcon 9 rocket successfully placed a group of Starlink internet satellites into orbit early yesterday morning.

The reusable rocket returned to Earth and attempted to land on a sea platform using the standard procedure.

However, due to an awkward approach, it tipped over into the ocean, as seen in SpaceX's live broadcast.

"The incident involved an unsuccessful landing of the Falcon 9 rocket on a sea platform. There are no reports of injuries or damage to public property.

Engine ignition and liftoff of Falcon 9 pic.twitter.com/8NQ7suWZYF

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 28, 2024

The FAA has requested an investigation - said an agency spokesperson.

Suspension of the Falcon 9 rocket, on which much of the Western world relies for sending satellites and people into space, is not common.

The last time this happened was in July, the first time since 2016, after a failure in space rendered a group of Starlink satellites unusable.

The FAA regulates the activities of private rockets and launch sites to ensure they do not affect public safety.

The agency yesterday requested SpaceX to open an investigation, which the FAA will oversee.