SpaceX rocket accident leaves Starlink satellites in wrong orbit

By Associated Press

Jul 14, 2024 12:10 am

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — A SpaceX rocket has failed for the first time in nearly a decade, leaving the company's internet satellites in an orbit so low that they're doomed to fall through the atmosphere and burn up.

The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from California on Thursday night, carrying 20 Starlink satellites. Several minutes into the flight, the upper-stage engine malfunctioned. SpaceX on Friday blamed a liquid oxygen leak.

SPACE MALFUNCTION This image from a video provided by SpaceX shows the upper-stage engine of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which blasted off from California on July 11, 2024. The rocket, carrying 20 Starlink satellites, malfunctioned during the blast, leaving the company’s internet satellites in a precariously low orbit. SPACEX PHOTO VIA AP

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