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The first SpaceX Falcon 9 "Block 5" rocket propeller stands on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida prior to its second mission on August 6, 2018. The same rocket will take off for the third time no earlier than December, 2018.
Credit: SpaceX
SpaceX has once again delayed the launch of its historic SSO-A carpool mission, which was to launch 64 small satellites on a Falcon 9 rocket twice reused on Wednesday (28 November).
Nicknamed "SSO-A: SmallSat Express", the mission was to take off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on a Falcon 9 rocket at 13:31. EST (18:31 GMT) before landing on a drone ship in the Pacific Ocean. If successful, this would be the third launch and landing of this "Block 5" Falcon 9 rocket booster – a historic first for SpaceX's reusable rockets.
But now, the rocket and its flock of small satellites will be anchored at least until Saturday (December 1), according to the 30th Space Squadron of the US Air Force in Vandenberg. "The launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 SSO-A is delayed due to weather conditions," wrote 30 Space Squadron on Facebook. [SpaceX’s 1st ‘Block 5’ Falcon 9 Rocket: The Launch Photos]
SpaceX added later in a tweet that the delay was due to extreme winds from high altitude and that the company would announce a new launch date "once confirmed with the range".
The attempt to launch Spaceflight SSO-A Wednesday from Vandenberg Air Base is currently doomed due to extremely high winds at high altitude that do not meet the range requirements. Vehicles and payloads are in good health. We will announce a new launch date once confirmed with the range.
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 28, 2018
This is the second time this month that the SSO-A mission is delayed. a previous launch attempt on November 19 had been postponed "to conduct additional preflight inspections," SpaceX officials said. SpaceX has not yet released a statement regarding the delay taken today.
Not only does the SSO-A mission go down in history by launching and landing a reusable rocket a third time, but it will also be the largest carpool mission to launch on an American rocket, according to Spaceflight, the supplier. Mission Management.
SpaceX will probably release an SSO-A mission update on Twitter once a new launch date is confirmed, and you can follow the 30th Space Wing on Facebook for additional weather updates and an event once a new date / time is chosen.
Email Hanneke Weitering at [email protected] or follow her. @hannekescience. Follow us on twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook. Original article on Space.com.
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