CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX faced a setback on Wednesday night as they scrubbed a launch attempt with just over 2 minutes remaining on the countdown clock. The mission, which aimed to deploy another batch of Starlink satellites from the Space Coast using a first-stage booster for a record-tying 19th time, was postponed without a specified reason. However, SpaceX announced plans to reschedule the launch for the backup date on Thursday.
The Falcon 9 rocket is set to carry 23 of SpaceX’s internet satellites from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39-A, with a potential launch window opening at 7:04 p.m. Thursday. Fortunately, Space Launch Delta 45’s weather squadron has forecasted a 95% chance of favorable conditions for the rescheduled launch on Thursday.
The first-stage booster in question has an impressive track record, having completed numerous missions including two human spaceflights: the Inspiration4 orbital mission and the Ax-1 mission to the International Space Station. It has also flown a variety of other missions, showcasing its reliability and versatility.
SpaceX is scheduled to conduct the recovery of the booster in the Atlantic Ocean on its droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. While this booster has the potential to tie the record for the most flights, it is facing competition from another booster based in California, which recently reached its 19th flight milestone.
Since its first successful booster recovery over eight years ago, SpaceX has made significant progress in landing and reusing boosters for multiple launches. The Falcon 9 rocket remains a vital component of SpaceX’s launch capabilities, with numerous successful missions from both Florida and California launch pads. SpaceX’s ambition to conduct as many as 150 launches in a year underscores the company’s commitment to space exploration.