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SpaceX postponed a launch Tuesday to send 88 small satellites into orbit from Florida in what is known as a rideshare launch due to interference from a possible plane in the region, a SpaceX announcer said.
"It looks like the [launch] range was a no go. There might have been an airplane in the area. We do have a backup opportunity tomorrow, but for today, that's going to do it for us," SpaceX postponed a launch Tuesday to send 88 small satellites into orbit from Florida in what is known as a rideshare launch due to interference from a possible plane in the region, a SpaceX announcer said.
"It looks like the [launch] range was a no go. There might have been an airplane in the area. We do have a backup opportunity tomorrow, but for today, that's going to do it for us," SpaceX's Andy Tran said after a hold was called with 11 seconds to liftoff.
Liftoff of the Falcon 9 rocket on the Transporter-2 mission had been planned for 2:56 p.m. EDT from Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The launch company indicated it will try again at the same time Wednesday.
SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk used the incident to blast the Federal Aviation Administration, which requires a large "keep-out" zone for aircraft during a countdown.
"An aircraft entered the keep-out zone, which is unreasonably gigantic," Musk posted on Twitter minutes after the scrub was announced. "There is simply no way that humanity can become a spacefaring civilization without major regulatory reform. The current regulatory system is broken."
A broad variety of spacecraft are prepared for launch, 36 of which were booked for the mission by Seattle-based Spaceflight, a company that helps arrange rideshare missions. Also aboard are three SpaceX Starlink communications satellites and two satellites for NASA.
"It's our second dedicated small set rideshare program launch, and our 20th launch of 2021," Tran said. "SpaceX created this program to provide small satellite operators with more opportunities and flexible times at a competitive price."
Spaceflight itself also will test a new type of spacecraft, which the company says is the first-ever electric propulsion vehicle, the Sherpa-LTE1.
The company's Sherpa spacecraft help other small satellites get to their intended orbit, like a space tugboat -- also known as an orbital transfer vehicle.
The company is working on new types of propulsion for the space tugs to address the many types of activities happening in the space industry, spokeswoman Christine Melby said.
"Some customers may need more power over a short time, so they'd use chemical propulsion. Others need less mass over a longer period, so electric might be better. These options will help us tailor the vehicle to the mission," Melby said.
A customer riding with Spaceflight is British space company In-Space Missions.
The company hopes to launch its first satellite, the Faraday Phoenix, after losing its first Faraday spacecraft during the failure of a Rocket Lab launch in July.
"We're feeling confident about the upcoming launch. SpaceX has developed a great track record for success over the past few years," said Doug Liddle, CEO of In-Space Missions.
The Faraday spacecraft are designed to also carry multiple payloads ranging from science experiments to Earth observation technology. Among the customers on the Faraday Phoenix are European aviation and space giant Airbus.
In-Space Missions will test a wideband radio capability that could allow uploading of new software to conduct new activities in space for customers, Liddle said.
"For some customers this will cut down the access time to orbit from years to months or even weeks," he said.
Other spacecraft on board include a cluster of Earth observation satellites for Luxembourg-based Kleos Space's Polar Vigilance Mission; a technology demonstration spacecraft called Arthur for Belgium-based Aerospacelab that will test high-resolution optical cameras; and several satellites that can detect and locate radio frequency signals for Virginia-based geospatial analytics company HawkEye 360.
The U.S. Department of Defense has three spacecraft on the launch, Mandrake II, LINCS and POET. They are the first such satellites built and designed by the department's Space Development Agency and are aimed at gathering information on new laser technology to send data to and from spacecraft in orbit.
The first-stage booster for the launch will fly for the eighth time, and SpaceX plans to recover it at the company's Landing Zone 1 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The weather for Wednesday's possible launch attempt is expected to be 70% favorable, according to a U.S. Space Force forecast.
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