I noted several years ago that SpaceX had made landing boosters routine, so much so that it was news not when they landed, but when they failed. On this morning’s flight, there was news.

Watch Falcon 9 launch from Florida with 21 @Starlink satellites https://t.co/u0TT6F9LpM

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 28, 2024

It was a long-lived booster, with twenty-three flights under its belt. It will be very interesting to see what caused it, and if it was fatigue. When I was at the Cape three weeks ago, I was told that the original goal for reuse was ten flights, but with multiple boosters exceeding twenty, the new goal was forty. We’ll see if there is some life-limiting issue that can’t be maintained around.

[Late-morning update]

This is ridiculous.

This statement from the FAA says it’s requiring an investigation stemming from the Falcon 9 booster hard landing last night. “A return to flight” would come after a completed investigation, so it looks like Polaris Dawn may have to wait a while longer if I’m reading this all… pic.twitter.com/aiUjfeVCdb

— Christian Davenport (@wapodavenport) August 28, 2024

I could understand their saying “No RTLS until you figure out what happened.” But to stand down launches over a landing failure? How can they justify that?

[Afternoon update]

Bob Zimmerman is less than impressed as well.