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SpaceX Delays Falcon 9 Launch To Tuesday
An anonymous reader writes "SpaceX has cancelled the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket after identifying a potential concern during preflight testing. This is the third straight day technical issues or weather have caused a delay. "Today's Orbcomm launch attempt has been scrubbed to address a potential concern identified during pre-flight checks," a SpaceX spokesperson said in a statement. "The vehicle and payload are in good condition, and engineering teams will take the extra time to ensure the highest possible level of mission assurance prior to flight," the statement said. The rocket is now scheduled for a Tuesday launch."
It is almost like reporting that a thunderstorm was spotted in Florida today. Is that news?
As a pilot once sagely put it: Take-off is optional. Landing is compulsory.
Crumb's Corollary: Never bring a knife to a bun fight.
Launches get delayed all the time, especially for weather.
I was starting to get worried, it had almost been 24 hours since the last Elon Musk post. Thanks, Slashdot!
I want to delete my account but Slashdot doesn't allow it.
No, it would be news if a thunderstorm were striped in Florida today.
Ezekiel 23:20
Launches are news. A scrubbed launch isn't. I consider that to be a difference.
Yes, for the history of the space program government rocket launches were delayed too for technical reasons. You'll also note some of the rockets exploded or failed to reach space. A for-profit company might not want to make so many fireworks.
This isn't all that uncommon. Technical delays happen for everybody doing a launch. The only difference here is that SpaceX is open about each launch attempt and has a ravenous band of fans following each bolt and syllable being uttered by the launch control team.
I used to watch Shuttle launches, and trust me when I say that the stuff SpaceX is going through here is very routine and normal. ULA faces the same problems with its launches, including multiple scrubs even for long standing vehicles that have been launched hundreds of times.
It even happens for the Chinese, but they don't announce a launch until after it happens. That makes them look awesome instead of bumbling fools.
BTW, SpaceX does check the vehicle for technical glitches before launch. Why do you think it was scrubbed in the first place rather than blowing up spectacularly about 40 feet above the launch pad?
There are a lot of things that cause delays. For instance, it is my understanding that the payload (the 6 sats) needs to be checked before launch. The payload can say that it's not ready to launch. That's not SpaceX's fault. Weather sure isn't SpaceX's fault. Neither was the Air Force downrange radar (required to ensure that rockets aren't off-course) failing a couple of months ago. Also not SpaceX's fault is when other launches are delayed and interfere with everyone's schedules.
The Canaveral area is pretty damn busy. That's one of the reasons they're trying to get a launch center at Boca Chica in the southern tip of Texas.
And when it is their "fault", it's better for the rocket to say that something is wrong before launch and scrub, than to launch and remove all doubt that something is wrong by blowing up.
#naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
Shuttle launch delays were the worst.... because shuttle launches are the only one's I have travelled to the cape to see. On at least half of our trips we went home disappointed.
SpaceX will get the chance to disappoint us when they launch the Falcon 9 Heavy. Or when they start landing the first stage back at Canaveral. Either of those will be worth the trip to see. Of course, worst case is that you spend the day splashing around in the bay along the causeway and meeting other dorks who think it is normal to sit around on a causeway all day waiting to watch a launch. A pretty good day even without the launch.
That's one of the reasons they're trying to get a launch center at Boca Chica in the southern tip of Texas.
I expect far and away the biggest reason is for recovery of the first stage of the Heavy. That's worth tens of millions of dollars per launch. Reducing facility crowding is just a bonus point.
They're planning on cross-feeding the center stage off the boosters. The boosters would drop off after around two minutes, and fly back to Boca Chica. The center stage would drop off three minutes later and continue on to a site in western Florida, or maybe a platform anchored off the shelf.