High Winds Ground EchoStar XXIII Satellite
High winds caused SpaceX to delay Tuesday's scheduled launch of Falcon 9, an expendable rocket that will deliver the EchoStar XXIII satellite into orbit.
The launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida is being moved to Thursday, according to multiple reports.
Constructed by Space Systems Loral (SSL), EchoStar XXIII is Ku-band broadcast satellite services satellite with four main reflectors and multiple sub-reflectors supporting multiple mission profiles, according to Colorado-based EchoStar.
SpaceX announced the decision to scrub the launch, which originally had a launch window starting Tuesday at 1:34am ET, on Twitter:
Standing down due to high winds; working toward next available launch opportunity.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2017
The initial commercial deployment of EchoStar XXIII, which reportedly has a design life of 15 years, is slated to be at 45° West.
SpaceX was founded by Elon Musk in 2002.
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