The rocket was launched at 3:48 a.m. (local time) from the Space Launch Complex at Cape Canaveral, deploying 21 Starlink satellites into low Earth orbit.
WATCH: #SpaceX rocket booster tips over, appears to explode while landing off #Florida’s coast. DETAILS >>> https://t.co/JpFts1PyAA #WFTV pic.twitter.com/2hIHPC6uZk
— WFTV Channel 9 (@WFTV) August 28, 2024
However, after the launch, “the Falcon 9 first-stage booster toppled over after landing on the unmanned vessel A Shortfall of Gravitas,” SpaceX reported in an update on Twitter.
Engine ignition and liftoff of Falcon 9 pic.twitter.com/8NQ7suWZYF
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 28, 2024
The company’s teams are now examining the flight data and the condition of the booster.
This mission marked the 23rd flight for the booster. SpaceX had scheduled a second Starlink satellite launch for Wednesday night but decided to cancel it to allow the team time to review the booster’s landing data. This incident also marks the end of a streak of successful landings for the commercial space company, which had achieved over 200 consecutive successful landings.