ORLANDO, Fla. – SpaceX has called off its planned rocket launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station again, marking the second delay in two days.
This comes after the initial launch on Wednesday morning was scrubbed and rescheduled for Thursday at 3:37 a.m.
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A new target launch date for the Falcon 9 rocket has not been shared. In a tweet, SpaceX cited teams standing down “after further inspections of the launch vehicle and data review.”
After further inspections of the launch vehicle and data review, we're standing down from tomorrow's launch of @ispace_inc's HAKUTO-R Mission 1; a new target launch date will be shared once confirmed
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 1, 2022
Space officials previously said they needed additional time for pre-flight checkouts and rescheduled the launch for Thursday.
The rocket is carrying a privately-led Japanese mission to land on the Moon, called Hakuto-R Mission 1. The mission is funded by iSpace, a company that looks to make space infrastructure more “sustainable and efficient.” If successful it would be the first commercial lunar landing.
Standing down from launch of ispace's HAKUTO-R Mission 1 to allow for additional pre-flight checkouts; now targeting Thursday, December 1 at 3:37 a.m. ET for liftoff
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 30, 2022
Also on board will be NASA’s Lunar Flashlight, a small satellite that will use lasers to map ice near the Moon’s south pole. Both missions are focusing on lunar ice and water as an important part of establishing a human presence on the Moon.
After the rocket launches, the first stage of the vehicle will land at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, so people in the area should anticipate sonic booms.
The first stage had previously launched in four other missions to space.
When the launch happens, News 6 will stream it live.
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