by Danielle Haynes
Cape Canaveral, Fla. (UPI)
Dec 18, 2014
SpaceX's fifth commercial launch to provide supplies to the International Space Station was delayed due to problems experienced during an engine fire test, the company and NASA said Thursday.
The Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to take off with the Dragon cargo ship Friday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket is now scheduled to launch the morning of Jan. 6.
A news release from NASA said the delay was to allow "SpaceX engineers time to investigate further issues that arose from a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket" on Tuesday.
"While the recent static fire test accomplished nearly all of our goals, the test did not run the full duration," SpaceX spokesman John Taylor said in email sent to multiple media sources. "The data suggests we could push forward without a second attempt, but out of an abundance of caution, we are opting to execute a second static fire test prior to launch."
"Given the extra time needed for data review and testing, coupled with the limited launch date availability due to the holidays and other restrictions, our earliest launch opportunity is now Jan. 6 with Jan. 7 as a backup," he added.
The postponement won't negatively affect the ISS crew's food, fuel or other supplies, the NASA release said.
This is the second delay of this particular resupply launch.
The rocket was first scheduled to take off Tuesday, but it was delayed to allow "SpaceX to take extra time to ensure they do everything possible on the ground to prepare for a successful launch," NASA said in a statement released Dec. 12.
This particular rocket launch is expected to be groundbreaking for SpaceX. The private spaceflight company was planning to land the rocket's first stage on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean.
Reusable rocket technology is key to the company's growth, CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly said. Being able to reuse vital components of its rocket could shave costs by a factor of 1,000.
"There are a lot of launches that will occur over the next year," Musk said at an aerospace conference earlier this fall. "I think it's quite likely that one of those flights, we'll be able to land and refly, so I think we're quite close."
The new resupply launch is scheduled to take place at approximately 6:18 a.m. EST Jan. 6, with coverage beginning on NASA Television at 5 a.m.
Brooks Hays contributed to this report.
Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SpaceX_delays_resupply_flight_to_ISS_999.html.
Cape Canaveral, Fla. (UPI)
Dec 18, 2014
SpaceX's fifth commercial launch to provide supplies to the International Space Station was delayed due to problems experienced during an engine fire test, the company and NASA said Thursday.
The Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to take off with the Dragon cargo ship Friday at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket is now scheduled to launch the morning of Jan. 6.
A news release from NASA said the delay was to allow "SpaceX engineers time to investigate further issues that arose from a static fire test of the Falcon 9 rocket" on Tuesday.
"While the recent static fire test accomplished nearly all of our goals, the test did not run the full duration," SpaceX spokesman John Taylor said in email sent to multiple media sources. "The data suggests we could push forward without a second attempt, but out of an abundance of caution, we are opting to execute a second static fire test prior to launch."
"Given the extra time needed for data review and testing, coupled with the limited launch date availability due to the holidays and other restrictions, our earliest launch opportunity is now Jan. 6 with Jan. 7 as a backup," he added.
The postponement won't negatively affect the ISS crew's food, fuel or other supplies, the NASA release said.
This is the second delay of this particular resupply launch.
The rocket was first scheduled to take off Tuesday, but it was delayed to allow "SpaceX to take extra time to ensure they do everything possible on the ground to prepare for a successful launch," NASA said in a statement released Dec. 12.
This particular rocket launch is expected to be groundbreaking for SpaceX. The private spaceflight company was planning to land the rocket's first stage on a platform in the Atlantic Ocean.
Reusable rocket technology is key to the company's growth, CEO Elon Musk has repeatedly said. Being able to reuse vital components of its rocket could shave costs by a factor of 1,000.
"There are a lot of launches that will occur over the next year," Musk said at an aerospace conference earlier this fall. "I think it's quite likely that one of those flights, we'll be able to land and refly, so I think we're quite close."
The new resupply launch is scheduled to take place at approximately 6:18 a.m. EST Jan. 6, with coverage beginning on NASA Television at 5 a.m.
Brooks Hays contributed to this report.
Source: Space Daily.
Link: http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/SpaceX_delays_resupply_flight_to_ISS_999.html.
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