SpaceX launches new Falcon 9 rocket on Starlink mission after 'water intrusion' issue – Spaceflight Now

SpaceX has launched another batch of Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit. A Falcon 9 rocket carried 22 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit after launching from the Cape Canaveral Space Station.

Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) occurred at 9:20 a.m. EDT (1320 UTC), marking the end of a four-hour launch window. The Starlink 10-5 mission was the 57th launch of internet-enabled satellites so far in 2024.

Ahead of launch, the 45th Weather Squadron forecast an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions at liftoff. The primary concerns are cumulus and heavy clouds.

The Falcon 9 first-stage rocket supporting this mission, B1085 from SpaceX's fleet, made its debut on this mission. Just over eight minutes after liftoff, it touched down on the unmanned spacecraft, “A Shortfall of Gravitas.”

This was ASOG’s 80th landing and the 341st rocket landing to date. The Starlink 10-5 mission also marked the 59th launch from Florida this year and the 153rd global orbital launch.

The rocket, which is scheduled to launch NASA's Crew 9 mission in September, underwent a process static fire test On Monday night, Steve Stich, director of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, said the rocket encountered moisture intrusion in late July while being transported by road from Texas to Florida.

“Some moisture leaked into the (liquid oxygen) fuel tank of that rocket when it was transported from McGregor to Cape Canaveral. The desiccant system didn’t work like it was supposed to,” Stich said. “That desiccant system is supposed to keep the air dry, and so it didn’t work like it was supposed to. So we had to dry out those tanks and then replace some components on the vehicle.”

Following the Starlink 10-5 mission, B1085 will be prepared for the launch of Crew 9, scheduled for launch no earlier than September 24, 2024, from Pad 40.