SpaceX's iconic Falcon 9 rockets have been grounded for the third time in the last three months after part of the rocket uncontrollably crash-landed in the ocean. The rocket was carrying a capsule to be used in the "rescue mission" that will eventually bring home the astronauts who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) since June.

NASA engineers are running checks to solve the mystery of why the Falcon 9's engine failed to perform a routine maneuver to lower the rocket's altitude.

The incident prompted the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to ground the rocket but Falcon 9 was back in the swing of things in no time, launching another batch of Starlink satellites three days later. August’s landing mishap ended a streak of 267 successful touchdowns and booster recoveries since February 2021.