SpaceX Falcon 9 ‘Block 5’ Rocket Scrubbed Thursday, Backup Launch Date Set Friday

By  //  May 10, 2018

First Stage will attempt landing on drone ship 'Of Course I Still Love You' stationed in the Atlantic Ocean

LAUNCH COVERAGE: SpaceX Falcon 9 ‘Block 5’ Rocket Scrubbed Thursday, Backup Launch Date Set For Tomorrow.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – SpaceX launch of Bangabandhu Satellite-1 was scrubbed on Thursday today from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

“Standing down today due to a standard ground system auto abort at T-1 min,” SpaceX said in a statement after Thursday’s scrubbed launch.

“Rocket and payload are in good health—teams are working towards tomorrow’s backup launch opportunity at 4:14 p.m.”

The backup launch window closes at 6:21 p.m. EDT on Friday,

Bangabandhu Satellite-1 will be deployed into a geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) approximately 33 minutes after launch.

The Bangabandhu Satellite-1 mission will be the first to utilize Falcon 9 Block 5, the final substantial upgrade to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle. Falcon 9 Block 5 is designed to be capable of 10 or more flights with very limited refurbishment as SpaceX continues to strive for rapid reusability and extremely high reliability.

Following stage separation, SpaceX will attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage on the “Of Course I Still Love You” droneship, which will be stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Coverage of Friday’s launch can be seen on Space Coast Daily TV.

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