In an impressive display of rapid-fire launches, SpaceX has successfully launched three Falcon 9 rockets over the weekend, placing a total of 67 Starlink satellites into orbit. This comes just three days after receiving approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to resume launchings following a rare in-flight failure on July 11.

The series of launches began on Saturday when SpaceX fired off 23 Starlink internet satellites from the Kennedy Space Center. This was followed by another Starlink launch from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Sunday, which deployed an additional 23 broadband relay stations into orbit. The third Falcon 9 rocket was launched a few hours later from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. All three flights proceeded smoothly without any apparent issues.

NASA is now reliant on Falcon 9 rockets for upcoming missions. On August 3, a Northrop Grumman Cygnus supply ship is scheduled to be launched to the International Space Station (ISS), followed by a SpaceX Crew Dragon flight carrying three NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut around August 18. To ensure the safety and readiness of the crewed flight, the second stage of the Falcon 9 will undergo a hot fire test around July 30 at a SpaceX facility in Texas.

Although NASA has not formally cleared these flights for launch, SpaceX's successful return to flight this weekend is expected to influence the final decision. The company's transparency and cooperation with the FAA's investigation into the July 11 failure have been praised, with NASA closely following the progress and changes made to the booster.

Meanwhile, Boeing engineers had a busy weekend conducting tests on their Starliner capsule at the International Space Station. The tests involved firing 27 maneuvering thrusters, confirming their good performance and stability. These tests are crucial in ensuring a safe return to Earth for the crew, consisting of commander Barry "Butch" Wilmore and co-pilot Sunita Williams.

The Starliner mission, which was originally planned for about eight days in space, has now extended to nearly two months due to troubleshooting work on thruster issues and helium leaks. NASA is expected to conduct a comprehensive review later this week to assess the test data and determine the readiness of the spacecraft for the return of the astronauts.

SpaceX has attributed the July 11 failure to a crack in an upper stage sensor line, resulting from a loose bracket and metal fatigue. This led to a liquid oxygen leak and extremely low temperatures in the engine's plumbing, causing a "hard start" and damaging multiple components. Although the Starlinks were released in a lower-than-planned orbit and burned up in the atmosphere, SpaceX has already implemented modifications to prevent a similar incident in future launches.

The FAA, responsible for licensing U.S. launches, has agreed with SpaceX's failure analysis, stating that no public safety issues were involved. This determination allows the Falcon 9 vehicle to resume flight operations while the investigation remains open, as long as all other license requirements are met.

In additional news, SpaceX also addressed an unexpected issue of debris from Crew Dragon trunk sections surviving re-entry and hitting the ground. To mitigate potential risks, SpaceX plans to shift all cargo and Crew Dragon splashdowns to the Pacific Ocean off the West Coast. Trunk sections will now be jettisoned after the deorbit rocket firing, ensuring they fall into the atmosphere in a designated offshore area.

The successful series of Falcon 9 launches and the progress in resolving issues with the Starliner capsule highlight the strides being made in space exploration and the collaborative efforts between SpaceX, NASA, and other entities.