LOS ANGELES, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said on Friday it has closed its investigation into a SpaceX Starlink mission mishap, clearing the Falcon 9 rocket to return to flight.
The FAA said it oversaw and accepted the findings of the SpaceX-led investigation. The final mishap report cites the probable root cause was the Falcon 9 stage 2 engine's failure to ignite prior to the deorbit burn.
According to the FAA, the incident caused no public injuries or damage to public property. SpaceX has identified technical and organizational preventive measures to avoid a recurrence of the event.
During the Starlink satellite launch on Monday, Falcon 9 successfully deployed the satellites into their intended orbit. However, the rocket's second stage experienced an off-nominal condition while preparing for the deorbit burn. The vehicle then performed as designed and successfully passivated the stage, according to the SpaceX website. ■
