Scott Nicholas
Space Exploration Technologies has delayed a Falcon 9 rocket launch previously slated to take off Monday from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California due to high winds and rain at the site, CNN reported Sunday.
Jill Disis and Danielle Wiener-Bronner write that SpaceX now expects to launch its rocket with an initial set of 10 NEXT satellites for Iridium on Jan. 14 in an effort to help increase the latter’s bandwidth and network capacity.
The report said the Federal Aviation Administration has granted SpaceX a return to flight license after the company completed an investigation on the cause of a Falcon 9 explosion incident in September.
The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that Vandenberg AF Base anticipates rainfall through Jan. 12 and the new target data is the soonest available schedule for launch from the site.
“The Iridium team has been anxiously awaiting launch day, and we’re now all the more excited to send those first ten Iridium NEXT satellites into orbit,” said Matt Desch, Iridium CEO.
