SpaceX Postpones Echostar 23 Launch Due to High Winds
Falcon 9 on Pad 39A. Photo: SpaceX.
SpaceX has postponed its Falcon 9 launch originally scheduled for early Tuesday morning, citing high winds. In a tweet, the company said it was working toward the next available launch opportunity, expected to be Thursday, March 16, at 1:35 a.m. EDT.
Standing down due to high winds; working toward next available launch opportunity.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2017
Targeting Thursday, March 16 for @EchoStar XXIII launch; window opens at 1:35am EDT and weather is 90% favorable.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2017
Falcon 9 is set to deploy Ku-band satellite EchoStar 23 at 45 degrees west to provide broadcast services for Brazil. Because EchoStar 23 is flying into Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO), SpaceX will not attempt to land Falcon 9’s first stage. In the future, the company plans to launch heavier satellites into GTO with its Falcon Heavy rocket, SpaceX also plans to fly an upgraded version of the Falcon 9 called Block 5, which chief executive officer Elon Musk stated “improves performance and ease of reusability” and is scheduled to begin flights at the end of 2017.
@gdoehne @reddit Yes. Block 5 is the final upgrade of the Falcon architecture. Significantly improves performance & ease of reusability. Flies end of year.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 22, 2017
SpaceX’s Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station is still being repaired after last September’s Falcon 9 explosion. As such, the company will continue to fly solely from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.