Weather delays SpaceX’s planned abort-test launch
ORLANDO, Fla. — SpaceX will have to wait at least another day to destroy a rocket, a test that will prove to NASA that a mechanism meant to save astronauts’ lives by triggering if there is a problem works.
In an early morning Tweet on Saturday, company officials said “sustained winds and rough seas in the recovery area” forced the company to stand down.
During a news conference on Friday, representatives with the U.S. Air Force’s weather squadron had said conditions in the recovery area had posed a greater threat than the expectations of weather at the launch site.
A six-hour test window now opens at 8 a.m. Sunday.
The launch — when it happens — is expected to be one of the most seminal moments for the upstart space company.
It would show off to NASA, government officials and space enthusiasts that the company was ready to launch humans into space from Florida.
At the conference, SpaceX Director of Crew Mission Benjamin “Benji” Reed had said that the launch was going to be an intentional failure that would demonstrate the vehicle’s safety for astronauts.
“The main objective of this test is to show that we can carry astronauts safely away from the rocket if anything goes wrong,” Reed said.
The mission, which is scheduled to take off from Launch Complex 39A, will be a full test of the teams expected to coordinate and execute the upcoming crewed mission, with launch, rescue and recovery teams all participating.