Tag Archives: Malfunction

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket suspended by FAA for malfunction

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The Federal Aviation Administration announced on Monday that SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket experienced a second stage failure following Saturday’s NASA astronaut mission, leading to the rocket being grounded for the third time in three months. An investigation was deemed necessary.

After SpaceX successfully launched two astronauts to the International Space Station on behalf of NASA on Saturday, the rocket’s second stage that propelled the crew further into space failed to re-ignite properly due to “inertial combustion.” It ultimately crashed into the sea after the mission.

The astronauts safely reached the ISS and docked as planned on Sunday. The FAA confirmed that there were no injuries or property damage resulting from the booster malfunction.

The failure caused the booster to fall into the Pacific Ocean, outside the designated safety zone for the mission approved by the FAA.

SpaceX attributed the incident to a “non-nominal deorbit burn” experienced by the booster, resulting in the second stage landing safely in the ocean but outside the intended target area.

SpaceX stated, “Once we have a better understanding of the root cause, we will resume our launch activities.” This recent incident marks the third FAA grounding in the past three months, impacting SpaceX’s regular Falcon 9 rocket launches, which play a significant role in providing access to space for many nations.

Despite previous setbacks, SpaceX has swiftly resumed operations following technical issues with its Falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX anticipates seeking FAA approval to resume flights soon, with ongoing technical assessments being conducted under FAA supervision.

SpaceX has emerged as a dominant force in the launch industry, launching multiple rockets per week since early 2024. While the first stage of the Falcon 9 is reusable, the second stage is not, leading to challenges during launches and re-entries that require FAA oversight for public safety.

The ongoing dispute between SpaceX and the FAA over launch license regulations has added to the challenges faced by both parties, with the FAA recently imposing fines on SpaceX for license violations related to previous launch activities.

The Falcon 9 grounding has no direct impact on SpaceX’s Starship, the company’s next-generation rocket system, which has undergone multiple tests since 2023. SpaceX has been vocal about the delays in obtaining FAA approval for the upcoming Starship test flights, highlighting the need for a smoother regulatory process.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Large portions of Western and Central Africa experience internet outage due to undersea cable malfunction

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Numerous countries in western and central Africa are currently experiencing a lack of internet service due to reported outages in several submarine cables.

The cause of the cable outage on Thursday remains unknown.

Seacom, an African submarine cable operator, has confirmed the downtime on their West African cable system, leading to rerouting of affected customers who used their cables, which are part of the Google Equiano cable.

According to NetBlocks, disruptions due to cable damage have been a recurring issue in Africa, but the current situation is considered one of the most severe instances.

Data transmissions have shown significant disruptions at the international shipping points of the submarine network, impacting at least a dozen countries, with a major threat to critical services in countries like Ivory Coast.

Africa, known for a high proportion of internet traffic on mobile devices, relies heavily on internet connectivity for various business operations.

Several countries, including Liberia, Benin, Ghana, and Burkina Faso, were heavily affected by the outage, as reported by NetBlocks.

Cloudflare also highlighted ongoing internet disruptions in countries like Gambia, Guinea, Namibia, Lesotho, and others, pointing out a disruptive pattern from north to south in Africa.

South African carrier Vodacom attributed connectivity issues to an undersea cable failure affecting network providers in South Africa.

Mehta emphasized that the impact of such cable failures could escalate as networks try to prevent damage, resulting in reduced capacity for other countries.

“While the initial disruption may be physical, further technical issues could arise,” she added.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tesla issues mass recall of US vehicles over warning light malfunction

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Nearly all Tesla vehicles sold in the U.S. are being recalled due to small warning lights in the instrument panel. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall of about 2.2 million vehicles on Friday, indicating increased scrutiny of electric vehicle manufacturers. Additionally, the agency upgraded its 2023 investigation into Tesla’s steering problems to a technical analysis, bringing it one step closer to a recall.

The update in response to the recall will enhance warnings and alerts for drivers. The document from NHTSA highlights that the font size for brake, parking, and anti-lock brake warning lights is smaller than required by federal safety standards, potentially making important safety information difficult to read and increasing the risk of a collision. The agency identified the problem during a routine safety compliance audit on January 8th. While Tesla has identified three warranty claims related to the issue, there are no reports of crashes or injuries.

The recall to fix the warning light issue will be done through a software update, affecting multiple models from 2012 to 2024. Tesla has already started releasing software updates, and owners will be notified by letter starting March 30th.

Following the announcement of the recall, Tesla’s stock fell another 2.7% in early trading on Friday, reaching its lowest level since May of last year.

In addition to the warning light issue, Tesla has faced scrutiny for its Autopilot system. Last December, NHTSA pressured Tesla to recall over 2 million vehicles for software updates and fixes related to the flawed system designed to make drivers more careful when using Autopilot. The recall was prompted by a two-year investigation into crashes involving the use of Autopilot, some of which were deadly.

Additionally, Tesla is recalling over 1.6 million electric vehicles exported to China due to problems with automatic assisted steering and door latch controls. The State Administration for Market Regulation in China announced the recall in early January, with Tesla planning to use remote upgrades to resolve the issue.

Overall, Tesla has faced challenges in addressing various safety concerns with its vehicles, including steering problems and Autopilot system issues, leading to substantial recalls and regulatory scrutiny.

Source: www.theguardian.com