SpaceX said it plans to resume rocket launches on 08 January after discovering the probable cause of its last crash. Spacecom's Amos-6 satellite was lost in September after an explosion on the launchpad just prior to launch. Spacex said an investigation with US flight authorities found that this was likely due to a build-up of oxygen in a void or buckle in the liner of one of the composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs), leading to ignition and the subsequent failure of the COPV.
The Falcon 9 rocket uses COPVs to store cold helium which is used to maintain tank pressure. The investigation team identified several credible causes for the COPV failure, all of which involve accumulation of oxygen under the overwrap. SpaceX said it's taken corrective actions to address all the credible causes. Its next flight will be the Iridium Next satellite.
