NASA will perform its own reauthorization of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 before the rocket launches its next astronaut crew or cargo mission, the agency confirmed on Wednesday (July 17).
Falcon 9 there was an isolated failure during engine burn-in SpaceX the rocket’s second stage due to an oxygen leak during Thursday’s launch (July 11). A mandatory accident investigation is underway. But SpaceX asked the Federal Aviation Administration on Monday (July 15) to allow future launches based on a “public safety determination,” meaning the launch poses no risk to public safety.
On the manifesto about the imminent launch of SpaceX is NASAis next International Space Station astronaut rotation. It’s called Crew-9 and it’s supposed to send four astronauts to the ISS already in mid-August. But NASA program manager Dana Weigel said the agency will have “its own process that’s outside of what the FAA does” even if the administration rules in favor of SpaceX’s request.
“The FAA needs to finish its job and allow SpaceX to launch [first]” she told Space.com at Wednesday’s (July 17) live ISS briefing. Although she noted that there are differences in how the Falcon 9 is configured for satellites and for the people, NASA still “takes a close look” independent of the FAA.
Weigel added that the ISS’s supply of food, water and other consumables “is in good shape” for about another four months. Another major cargo supplier, Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus spacecraft, also uses the Falcon 9 and is expected to launch on August 3. The launch is intended to deliver hardware to address the ailing urine processor on the ISS, Weigel said. “I’m tracking critical components that I’d like to get on board soon,” she noted.
In an emailed statement, a NASA public affairs official told Space.com that SpaceX is working with the agency to reauthorize the Falcon 9 for flights to the ISS. “Crew safety and mission assurance are a top priority for NASA. SpaceX has kept the agency informed as it works closely with the Federal Aviation Administration during the investigation, including implementing any corrective actions necessary before future agency missions,” the statement said.
“NASA and its partners will also implement a standard flight readiness review process to ensure that we fly our crews’ missions as safely as possible.”
Related: SpaceX wants to resume Falcon 9 rocket launches while the FAA completes its investigation
SpaceX has sent eight NASA-led astronaut crews to the ISS along with three short-term missions Axiom Space. All of these ride on board Crew Dragonwhich uses a human-rated variant of the Falcon 9.
The Falcon 9 is the world’s most popular launch vehicle and has failed only twice out of 366 launches over 14 years, according to SpaceX data. It also launches cargo missions to the ISS, satellites for NASA and the nation’s military, and a number of other missions.
SpaceX emphasized that it is working closely with NASA during the investigation. “I’m grateful that we have this framework to work through when you experience events like this,” Sarah Walker, SpaceX’s director of Dragon mission control, said at the same press conference. “That’s our top priority right now,” she added.
The process with NASA “is not only to find out the specific cause of the problem that was observed, but also to take the right steps to prevent it from continuing [and] how it could relate to any other system,” she added.
SpaceX’s short-term commitments include bringing in private Polaris Dawn space crew aboard Falcon 9; this mission, paid for by billionaire Jared Isaacman, is scheduled to fly on July 31. Walker said it’s too early to predict a timetable as things stand, but promised SpaceX to share information “if it has any impact in the near launch dates.”
“We know,” she added, “how to go through the phases of this process. It’s a joint commission of inquiry … between our government customers and the FAA and SpaceX chief engineers, so there will be more.”