SpaceX Delays Satellite Launch At Literally The Last Minute; Slight Technical Failure Pushes Takeoff to Thursday
BySpaceX will have to wait another couple days to attempt to put its satellite in orbit high above the Earth, as technical glitches caused the launch to be called off at the last minute.
According to the Washington Post, Monday's launch, originally scheduled for 5:30 p.m. at Cape Canaveral, Fla., had to be stopped less than five minutes before launch. The reason for the sudden halt was not immediately evident.
The new launch date will be Thursday at 5:38 p.m. from the same place, SpaceX confirmed.
"We observed unexpected readings with the first stage liquid oxygen system so we decided to investigate," SpaceX officials said in a statement, according to Space.com. "The launch vehicle and satellite are in great shape and we are looking forward to the next launch opportunity on Thursday at 5:38 p.m. Eastern time (0038 Nov. 28 GMT)."
Elon Musk, SpaceX's president and CEO, previously said on Twitter this would be the Falcon 9 rocket's toughest mission yet. The rocket, which he is also the chief designer, has only performed one test, in Calif. in Sept., which it passed. For the satellite launch, however, the rocket needed to reach a second stage to be able to climb as high as it needs to launch the satellite into orbit.
SpaceX plans to launch a SES communications satellite into orbit high above the Earth that will service South Asia and the western Pacific. If successful, SpaceX could provide the satellite operator SES with a much lower cost option than it has had previously, BBC News reported Monday.
SpaceX is one of many companies vying for part of the commercial space travel market. They have gone to the International Space Station more than once to deliver cargo to the astronauts. That journey is just 250 miles off the ground, but to put a satellite in high orbit of the Earth would be about 22,000 miles up.
Musk previously told the Post that launching is most tense part of the entire process.
"There are a thousand ways for it to go wrong, and one way for it to go right," he said.