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FAA grounds SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets pending investigation of rare offshore crash-landing

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The Federal Aviation Administration has grounded SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets pending an investigation to determine what caused a first-stage booster to crash onto a landing barge early Wednesday after helping launch another batch of Starlink internet satellites.

After standing down from the piloted Polaris Dawn launch late Tuesday because of an unfavorable long-range forecast, SpaceX pressed ahead with the first of two planned back-to-back launches of Starlinks, one from Florida and the other from California.

But the second flight was called off after the first stage used in the Florida launch crash-landed and toppled into the Atlantic Ocean while attempting to touch down on a SpaceX droneship stationed several hundred miles northeast of Cape Canaveral.

A time exposure photo captures the fiery trail of a Falcon 9 rocket climbing away from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station early Wednesday on a flight to deploy 21 Starlink internet satellites.
A time exposure photo captures the fiery trail of a Falcon 9 rocket climbing away from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station early Wednesday on a flight to deploy 21 Starlink internet satellites. This photo was taken from pad 39A at the nearby Kennedy Space Center, where the Polaris Dawn mission awaits liftoff on a commercial flight featuring the first non-government spacewalk. That flight now is on hold pending an investigation into what caused the first stage of the Starlink rocket to crash-land during touchdown on an offshore SpaceX droneship.

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The FAA said it would require an investigation, effectively grounding SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rockets — including the Polaris Dawn booster — until the probe is complete and corrective actions are approved.

“A return to flight of the Falcon 9 booster rocket is based on the FAA determining that any system, process or procedure related to the anomaly does not affect public safety,” the FAA said in a statement.

“In addition, SpaceX may need to request and receive approval from the FAA to modify its license that incorporates any corrective actions and meet all other licensing requirements,” the agency said.

Late Tuesday, SpaceX delayed Wednesday’s planned launch of the Polaris Dawn mission, a commercial flight featuring what will be the first non-government spacewalk, to Friday at the earliest because of predicted end-of-mission splashdown weather. The launching now is on indefinite hold pending the landing mishap investigation.

The landing failure ended a string of 267 successful booster recoveries in a row dating back to February 2021. The Falcon 9’s second stage, however, successfully carried 21 Starlink internet satellites to their planned orbit.

The first stage landing appeared normal until the moment of touchdown when more flames than usual were visible around the base of the rocket as it neared the deck. A landing leg immediately collapsed on touchdown and the booster, obscured by fire and smoke, tipped over the side of the landing barge into the Atlantic Ocean.

A camera mounted on the Falcon 9 first stage captured a view of the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas a few moments before touchdown.
A camera mounted on the Falcon 9 first stage captured a view of the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas a few moments before touchdown. A camera on the droneship shows the landing deck illuminated by the rocket’s exhaust as it neared the ship.

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At the moment of touchdown, flames erupted and one landing leg collapsed.
At the moment of touchdown, flames erupted and one landing leg collapsed.

SpaceX


The rocket then toppled over into the Atlantic Ocean.
The rocket then toppled over into the Atlantic Ocean.

SpaceX


“After a successful ascent, Falcon 9’s first stage booster tipped over following touchdown on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship,” SpaceX said on social media. “Teams are assessing the booster’s flight data and status.”

It was first stage B1062’s 23rd and what turned out to be its final launch and landing, a new reuse record. SpaceX is working toward certifying its Falcon 9 first stages for up to 40 flights each.

Shortly after the Florida Starlinks were deployed, the company called off the California launch, planned for 5:58 a.m. EDT, to give engineers more time to review telemetry and video footage, on the lookout for any signs of trouble that could affect other rockets.

“Standing down from our second @Starlink launch of the night to give the team time to review booster landing data from the previous launch,” SpaceX said. “A new target launch date will be shared once available.”



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911 calls released in deadly Georgia school shooting

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A Georgia county’s emergency call center was overwhelmed by calls on Sept. 4 about a school shooting at Apalachee High School that killed four people and wounded nine others, records released Friday by Barrow County show.

Local news organizations report many of the 911 phone calls were not released under public record requests because state law exempts from release calls recording the voice of someone younger than 18 years old. That exemption would cover calls from most of the 1,900 students at the school in Winder, northeast of Atlanta.

Calls spiked around 10:20 a.m., when authorities have said that 14-year-old suspect Colt Gray began shooting. Many calls were answered with an automated message saying there was a “high call volume,” WAGA-TV reported.

One man called 911 after receiving text messages from a girlfriend. He was put on hold for just over 10 minutes because of an influx of calls at the time of the shooting, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.

“She hears people yelling outside, so I don’t know if that’s officers in the building or that’s — I don’t know,” he said, adding that she was eventually evacuated out of the school.

Other adults also called 911 after their children contacted them.

“My daughter calling me crying. Somebody go ‘boom, boom, boom, boom,'” one mother said. The 911 operator responded: “Ma’am we have officers out there, OK?”

Parents of students at an elementary school and middle school neighboring Apalachee also flooded 911 seeking information.

“Sir, my daughter goes to school next door to Apalachee. Is there a school shooter?” one caller asked.

“We do have an active situation (at) Apalachee High School right now,” the operator responded. “We have a lot of calls coming in.”

More than 500 radio messages between emergency personnel were also released Friday.

“Active shooter!” an officer yells in one audio clip while speaking with a dispatcher, CNN reported. Another officer responds, “Correct. We have an active shooter at Apalachee High School.”

The shooting killed teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, as well as students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14. Another teacher and eight more students were wounded, with seven of those hit by gunfire.

The Georgia Bureau of Investigation reported Thursday that the suspect rode the school bus on the day of the shooting with the assault-style rifle concealed in his backpack.

He then asked a teacher for permission to go to the front office to speak with someone, and when he received it, he was allowed to take his backpack with him, GBI said. He then went to a restroom, where he hid, and then eventually took out the weapon and started shooting, investigators said. A knife was also found on him when he was arrested.

According to investigators, the suspect enrolled at Apalachee High on Aug. 14, and between Aug. 14 and the day of the shooting, he was absent for nine days of school.

The family told CBS News that the suspect’s maternal grandmother had visited the school the day before the massacre to discuss the suspect’s alleged behavioral issues. 

The suspect has been charged as an adult with four counts of murder, and District Attorney Brad Smith has said more charges are likely to be filed against him in connection with the wounded. Authorities have also charged his father, 54-year-old Colin Gray, alleging that he gave his son access to the gun when he knew or should have known that the teen was a danger to himself and others.

The 13,000 students at Barrow County’s other schools returned to class Tuesday. The 1,900 students who attend Apalachee are supposed to start returning the week of Sept. 23, officials said Friday.



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Pope says Trump, Harris are both “against life”

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Pope says Trump, Harris are both “against life” – CBS News


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Speaking to reporters Friday, Pope Francis made clear he doesn’t agree with former President Donald Trump’s immigration policy, or Vice President Kamala Harris’ stance on abortion.

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9/13: CBS News Weekender – CBS News

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9/13: CBS News Weekender – CBS News


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Lana Zak has the latest on Boeing factory workers going on strike for the first time in 16 years, an update from the Starliner astronauts still on the International Space Station, and how you can combat election anxiety.

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