Wednesday, July 5, 2017

SpaceX Aims At Launch Today, After Weekend Delays

Hawthorne-based space rocket developer SpaceX is targeting launch of yet another Falcon 9 rocket later today, from NASA Kennedy Space Center, after a launch delay over the long weekend. SpaceX, which aborted its launch on Sunday due to "violation of abort criteria", is planning to launch the Intelsat 35e at 7:37 p.m. EDT (4:37 p.m. PDT) today. According to SpaceX, the launch from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) is expected to deploy the Intelsat satellite approximately 32 minutes after launch. SpaceX said it will not attempt the Falcon 9's first stage with this launch, due to mission requirements. The Intelsat 35e is being delivered to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), which is the most challenging orbit target for a satellite.