SpaceX Falcon 9 suffers rare failure in space, imperiling Starlink mission

FILE PHOTO: An evening launch of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying 20 Starlink V2 Mini satellites, from Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base is seen over the Pacific Ocean from Encinitas, California, U.S., June 23, 2024. REUTERS/Mike Blake/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A second-stage engine on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket suffered a rare malfunction in space during a routine Starlink mission on Thursday night, imperiling the satellites in the company's first rocket failure in more than seven years.

A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from the Vandenberg Space Force Base at 10:35pm local time (02:35 GMT) Thursday to send 20 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit. The rocket's second-stage engine carrying the payload reached space, but failed its second attempt to reignite to push the satellites to their intended orbit.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said the satellites were deployed into a lower orbit where they might not be able to pull themselves higher to compensate for the botched deployment, and could likely be pulled back into the atmosphere.

(Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by Sharon Singleton)