SpaceX mishap leaves Starlink satellites in wrong orbit

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket experienced its first failure in nearly a decade, leaving the company's Starlink satellites in an orbit too low to sustain.

The Falcon 9 launched from California on July 11 night, carrying 20 Starlink satellites. However, several minutes into the flight, the rocket's upper-stage engine malfunctioned due to a liquid oxygen leak, SpaceX reported on July 12.