SpaceX Confirms Falcon 9 Second Stage Reentry Over Europe Following Anomaly

A SpaceX Falcon 9 second stage from a recent Starlink mission has reentered the Earth’s atmosphere over Europe.

Anomaly During Coast Phase

On Saturday, February 1 at 3:02 p.m. PT, SpaceX launched 22 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This mission marked the 17th flight of the first stage booster; which had previously powered missions for SDA-0A, SARah-2, Transporter-11, and an impressive 14 Starlink deployments

During the coast phase of the Starlink mission, mission controllers detected a small liquid oxygen leak on the second stage. Although minor, the leak led to higher-than-expected vehicle body rates—a deviation from nominal flight parameters. Adhering to established safe mission concepts, SpaceX elected not to perform the planned deorbit burn. Instead, the Falcon 9 second stage was passivated on-orbit, a process that involves deactivating systems and removing stored energy to ensure the hardware becomes inert and minimizes risks.

SpaceX’s standard practice involves actively and propulsively deorbiting its Falcon second stages into broad ocean areas. This approach has yielded an outstanding record in 2024, with 115 successful deorbits out of 116 attempts. All other missions ranged from geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) to interplanetary trajectories—all disposal orbits comply with orbital debris mitigation standards (ODMSP).

Even with the anomaly during the Starlink mission, SpaceX’s engineering teams swiftly initiated an investigation into the liquid oxygen leak, already implementing mitigations to enhance safety on future flights.

Reentry Over Europe and Coordination with Authorities

The passivated second stage reentered Earth’s atmosphere over Europe on February 19.

SpaceX is now collaborating closely with the government of Poland to coordinate recovery and cleanup operations. Officials have reassured the public that there are no toxic materials in the debris, minimizing environmental and public health concerns.

Nonetheless, authorities have issued a caution: if any individual believes they have located a piece of the debris, they should refrain from handling or retrieving it and instead contact local law enforcement or the SpaceX Debris Hotline at 1-866-623-0234, or via email at [email protected].

Implications for Future Missions

This incident serves as a reminder of the inherent challenges in spaceflight, where even minor anomalies can lead to significant procedural adjustments.

The decision to forego the deorbit burn and instead passivate the stage underscores SpaceX’s commitment to safety and operational flexibility. Every flight, successful or anomalous, provides critical data that enhances the overall reliability and safety of space missions—a priority for both SpaceX and the broader aerospace community.

Despite the setback caused by the liquid oxygen leak, the mission’s overall success and the subsequent safe reentry of the Falcon 9 second stage are testaments to the robustness of SpaceX’s design and operational protocols. The proactive measures taken during the mission have reinforced confidence in the company’s ability to manage unforeseen events effectively.

In a field where every detail matters, SpaceX’s handling of this situation highlights the delicate balance between cutting-edge technology and rigorous safety standards.