SpaceX Falcon 9 launch update: Elon Musk tweets on next launch window; Engineers inspecting rocket and its systems

SpaceX, the company owned by Elon Musk, has called off a Falcon 9 rocket launch for the second day in a row. The communications satellite launch was cancelled with only 10 seconds left on the countdown clock.

The Falcon 9 launch was scheduled to take off at 8:35 p.m. EDT on July 3 (10:35 a.m. July 4, Sydney, NSW, Australia) from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It was carrying a 6,000kg Intelsat 35e satellite to orbit. However, controllers had to call off the liftoff with 10 seconds remaining. They did the same on July 3. According to SpaceX representatives, the Falcon 9’s Guidance System and/or its hardware had developed an issue, though the cause was not clear immediately.

John Insprucker, Falcon 9 principal integration engineer, said that the next launch opportunity is on July 5 (Sydney time). He also mentioned that the vehicle/payload is in good health but they had to stand down because of a violation of abort criteria. Whenever the scientists attempt another launch, it will be shown live on Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX. The Intelsat 35e is headed for geostationary orbit, around 35,800 kilometres above Earth.

According to Insprucker, the faraway destination and the satellite’s weight will not allow the Falcon 9 first stage to attempt a landing after liftoff. He said there will not be sufficient fuel left to steer its way down again. Hence, a soft landing is impossible.

Today, SpaceX will spend the day inspecting the rocket and its systems, Musk informed. Independence Day revellers could be witnessing red glare when the SpaceX rocket takes off. When asked regarding the aborted mission, Insprucker said that engineers are taking their time.

“We’ve got plenty of information, but (engineers are) taking their time right now to understand what system they’re really looking at that would be the cause of the hold ... That’s one of the points where we routinely check a lot of data on the vehicle to make sure that everything is good to go as close to launch as we can measure it,” he told Florida Today.

SpaceX is hoping to launch its Falcon 9 rocket soon. It would be its third mission in 11 days. Vice President Mike Pence will also be visiting America’s Spaceport on Friday to address employees and tour the facilities. Stay tuned on IBT AU for more updates on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch.