SpaceX Cleared for Hera Mission Launch, But Future Falcon 9 Flights Still Grounded

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted approval for the Falcon 9 rocket to launch the European Space Agency’s Hera asteroid mission, but it remains grounded for other missions for the time being. On October 6, the FAA issued a statement confirming the authorization of the Falcon 9’s return to flight, specifically for the Hera mission, scheduled for no earlier than October 7, from the Florida-based Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The rocket had been grounded following a second-stage anomaly during the deorbit burn on the Crew-9 launch on September 28.

According to the FAA, the absence of a second-stage reentry in the Hera mission mitigates the risk to public safety in case of a repeat of the Crew-9 issue. The second stage will send Hera on an Earth-escape trajectory, eliminating reentry concerns. However, the FAA is not yet authorizing other Falcon 9 missions involving second-stage deorbit burns. The FAA stated that safety will determine when it will allow the Falcon 9 to resume regular operations, pending a review of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mishap report.

SpaceX completed and submitted the mishap report to the FAA on October 4, and the FAA approved the Falcon 9 for the Hera mission the same day. Despite the grounding, ESA officials had continued preparations for the Hera launch, ensuring readiness once the FAA gave the green light. The €363 million ($401 million) Hera mission will travel to the asteroid Didymos and its moon Dimorphos, which were the focus of NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) two years ago.

Hera project manager Ian Carnelli confirmed that SpaceX was completing final integration, with the rocket expected to roll out to the pad for a launch readiness review. Liftoff is scheduled for 10:52 a.m. Eastern on October 7, but weather remains a concern, with only a 15% chance of favorable conditions.

Further complications arise from Hurricane Milton, which is heading towards Florida and is expected to make landfall on October 9. The storm may delay another critical launch, NASA’s Europa Clipper, set for October 10, and has already impacted hurricane preparations at Cape Canaveral. The launch window for Hera extends through October 27, and Europa Clipper can launch until November 6. Meanwhile, Hurricane Milton has also postponed the return of NASA’s Crew-8 mission from the International Space Station, originally set for October 7.