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SpaceX postpones Falcon 9 launch to early July
Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or SpaceX has postponed its next launch again to early July following technical problems.
Zee Media Bureau/Salome Phelamei
Cape Canaveral: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or SpaceX has postponed its next launch again to early July following technical problems.
The privately owned company has been trying to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, since Friday, June 20. But the launch attempt was postponed after engineers found an unexpected pressure drop in SpaceX`s Falcon 9 rocket.
SpaceX had to cancel yet again the launch on June 21 due to bad weather and the June 22 attempt was pushed to June 24 as the engineers wanted to investigate an issue that came up during the pre-flight checks. “SpaceX will stand down Tuesday while our engineering teams evaluate further, which will also allow the Range (Cape Canaveral) to move forward with previously scheduled maintenance. We are currently targeting the first week of July and will work with the Range to confirm the next available launch opportunities,” SpaceX representatives said in the mission update.
The launch will loft the first six members of the Orbcomm Generation 2 (OG2) satellite constellation.
SpaceX has successfully flown its Falcon 9 rocket nine times so far. The company plans to launch a total of 17 OG2 craft this year. Founded by Elon Musk in 2002, SpaceX has developed the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles, both of which were designed from conception to eventually become reusable.
The Falcon 9 is used to carry valuable cargo to the International Space Station on behalf of NASA apart from being used to transport satellites up into orbit.
The company is planning its first crewed Dragon/Falcon 9 flight in 2015, when it expects to have a fully certified, human-rated launch escape system incorporated into the spacecraft.
Cape Canaveral: Space Exploration Technologies Corporation, or SpaceX has postponed its next launch again to early July following technical problems.
The privately owned company has been trying to launch a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida, since Friday, June 20. But the launch attempt was postponed after engineers found an unexpected pressure drop in SpaceX`s Falcon 9 rocket.
SpaceX had to cancel yet again the launch on June 21 due to bad weather and the June 22 attempt was pushed to June 24 as the engineers wanted to investigate an issue that came up during the pre-flight checks. “SpaceX will stand down Tuesday while our engineering teams evaluate further, which will also allow the Range (Cape Canaveral) to move forward with previously scheduled maintenance. We are currently targeting the first week of July and will work with the Range to confirm the next available launch opportunities,” SpaceX representatives said in the mission update.
The launch will loft the first six members of the Orbcomm Generation 2 (OG2) satellite constellation.
SpaceX has successfully flown its Falcon 9 rocket nine times so far. The company plans to launch a total of 17 OG2 craft this year. Founded by Elon Musk in 2002, SpaceX has developed the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 launch vehicles, both of which were designed from conception to eventually become reusable.
The Falcon 9 is used to carry valuable cargo to the International Space Station on behalf of NASA apart from being used to transport satellites up into orbit.
The company is planning its first crewed Dragon/Falcon 9 flight in 2015, when it expects to have a fully certified, human-rated launch escape system incorporated into the spacecraft.
Photo Credit: SpaceX