AAIB Statement: LauncherOne launch failure
Failure to achieve orbit following launch from Spaceport Cornwall, 9 January 2023
LauncherOne and Boeing 747-400 carrier aircraft
On 9 January 2023, LauncherOne, a two-stage rocket, was dropped from under the wing of a modified Boeing 747-400 with the intention of inserting a payload of satellites into orbit. The mission proceeded as expected until the beginning of the first burn of the second stage engine when it is likely that a fuel filter within the fuel feedline dislodged from its normal position. This led to a series of events that caused the second stage engine to shut down prematurely, and the reduction of thrust meant the stage fell back to Earth.
The AAIB acts as the UK’s Space Accident Investigation Authority (SAIA), and this statement summarises SAIA engagement with the technical investigation that determined the cause of the launch failure.