The Government Accountability Office had conducted a federal investigation of SpaceX, and its rockets for safety concerns.
The safety concern surrounds the company's Falcon 9 rockets, particularly its propulsion-system components. The findings reveal that a pattern materialized, wherein it is the most likely component to fail.
It is widely known that Space Exploration Technologies Corp. aims to send manned space expeditions, wherein Mars had been set as a primary target. SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets are currently slated for a launch as soon as next year with astronauts aboard it.
The government investigators have specifically cited the turbine blades used by the rocket's propulsion system are susceptible to cracks. Preliminary results of the investigation had revealed that a crack pattern is becoming a primary safety concern.
The components in question are responsible for the pumping of the propellants into the rockets engines. NASA has been reported to be involved in addressing the problem, along with SpaceX. NASA stated that its officials has been briefed on GAO's preliminary findings, and are on talks with officials at SpaceX to come to a solution to act upon. Both entities are adamant that it would be a relatively easy fix as they are aware of how to tackle the problem.
However, SpaceX claims that its engines are designed to withstand cracking within its propulsion system, but representatives at the aerospace company state that their team is working on a solution to update its design to avoid any component failures.
Initially, Falcon 9 is slated for a launch this year with a crew aboard it, named the Crew Dragon, but setbacks have pushed its schedule to 2018. The news comes after the launch pad explosion back in September of 2016 at Cape Canaveral.
The GAO is expected to announce the rest of its findings through a press conference slated in a few weeks time. The preliminary results have raised enough attention that could very well incur further delay for the first Falcon 9 manned mission.