[saberience]

It is kind of ridiculous though, every other rocket launched by any other company or country basically just blows up in the sea or the air.

Penalizing SpaceX for being the most successful company seems silly. Are they grounding other companies whose rockets cannot land at all?

[firesteelrain]

First, take a deep breath.

All other companies are investigated if this happens. It’s news because SpaceX launches so well and so often that it’s out of the norm.

[philwelch]

It is simply not true that “all other companies” are investigated if their rockets fail to make a successful landing on a ship at sea. This is because no other company in the world has ever successfully landed a rocket on a ship at sea.

[firesteelrain]

You are incorrect. Everyone is subject to the same rules.

See FAA Rule 450 Final: https://www.faa.gov/sites/faa.gov/files/space/additional_inf...

See 14 CFR Chapter III Subchapter C Part 417: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-III/subchapter...

[philwelch]

So you’re telling me every rocket launch from the US prior to 2015 led to an investigation, as well as every rocket launch not performed by SpaceX since then?

[firesteelrain]

Yes, in part:

"Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data show that 50 commercial space launches from 2000 through mid-January 2023 resulted in “mishaps”—the industry term for incidents such as catastrophic explosions and other failures. This represents about 12 percent of 433 launches during the period and caused no fatalities, serious injuries, or significant property damage to the public."

and

"When mishaps occur, FAA can conduct an investigation itself or instead authorize launch operators to lead investigations of their own mishaps under FAA oversight, according to FAA. In practice, however, FAA has authorized operator-led investigations for all mishaps where it had lead investigative authority, GAO found."

Source: https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-105561

[philwelch]

Why are you deliberately being obtuse?

Here, I’ll make it simple for you. On July 30, ULA launched USSF-51, an Atlas V mission in which the first stage did not successfully land on a drone ship, but rather was unceremoniously dumped in the Atlantic Ocean. Can you find me the investigation for that launch?