Space X's Falcon 9 launch delayed due to Hurricane Hilary intensity
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The next launch date, according to Space X's post, is expected to be Monday August 21.
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The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from Pad 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on September 15, 2021 (AFP)
US space firm SpaceX confirmed on Friday its decision to postpone what would have been today's launch of its Falcon 9 vehicle carrying Starlink satellites as a result of Hurricane Hilary's intensity in the Pacific Ocean.
A day earlier on Thursday, SpaceX was able to successfully deploy 22 Starlink satellites into orbit.
"Due to Hurricane Hilary impacting recovery operations in the Pacific, we are standing down from tonight's Falcon 9 launch of Starlink. Next launch opportunity is no earlier than Monday, August 21," SpaceX said posted on X, what was before known as Twitter.
Due to Hurricane Hilary impacting recovery operations in the Pacific, we are standing down from tonight's Falcon 9 launch of @Starlink. Next launch opportunity is no earlier than Monday, August 21 → https://t.co/bJFjLCiTbK
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 17, 2023
The 22 Starlink satellites were launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in the US state of Florida and the rocket's first stage made a successful landing on the A Shortfall of the Gravitas floating rocket landing pad.
The last time SpaceX made a previous launch of 22 Starlink satellites was on July 28.
Falcon 9 launches 22 @Starlink satellites from Florida pic.twitter.com/kR7hUuTcKQ
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) August 7, 2023
Read more: China will launch 12,992 satellites into orbit to rival SpaceX
Falcon 9 has been making quite a few successes, notably one back in July when it successfully launched the Euclid space telescope of the European Space Agency (ESA) from Cape Canaveral with the primary objective being to study dark matter and create the most comprehensive 3D map of the universe.
SpaceX, whose CEO is Elon Musk, stated that the Euclid telescope, a European spacecraft, will spend the next six years unraveling the mysteries surrounding dark matter and dark energy.
Initially, the plan was to launch the Euclid telescope using Russia's Soyuz ST launch vehicle from the EU's spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, in late 2022.
