SpaceX’s Next Launch Attempt Moved to March 9

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., Feb. 8, 2007/Satnews Daily/ — SpaceX Technologies has announced a new launch window for Falcon 1 rocket after being informed that the Kwajalein Army Range does not have sufficient resources to support SpaceX liftoff in mid to late February.

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk explained several range personnel critical to the launch safety process will be unavailable for an earlier timeframe. He said the earliest launch window available from the Range now opens March 9.

Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean’s Marshall Islands is currently being configured for an incoming Minuteman mission and will have to be reconfigured back to handling a Falcon launch.

The second launch attempt of Falcon-1 space vehicle is keenly awaited by the satellite industry after its inaugural flight in March last year ended in a disaster when the rocket tumbled out of control and slammed into the Pacific Ocean shortly after its liftoff from the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Missile Test Site on Omelek Island near Kwajalein Atoll. An investigation later revealed that a fuel leak triggered a fire around the top of Falcon 1’s main engine leading to its destruction.

SpaceX also announced that after the upcoming demonstration flight, Falcon 1 is scheduled to launch a satellite for the US Navy Research Laboratory (funded by the Office of Force Transformation) in late summer and then a satellite for the Malaysian Space Agency late in the year. Musk said they are also building an additional Falcon 1 vehicle in the event that some promising customer discussions culminate in a fourth Falcon 1 launch this year.

SpaceX has yet to proceed with its static fire this month.

Last month, Musk announced that the company was conducting its static fire on Jan. 19 and said if there would be no issue, they would proceed with the second launch attempt on Jan. 22. During their final check-outs prior to the static fire, however, they uncovered an anomaly with the TVC pitch actuator resulting in launch being pushed to mid Feb. and now in March. 

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