ULA launch pushed back no earlier than Monday; SpaceX still a go

Brevard County, Fla. — Sunday was scheduled to be the big day for the United Launch Alliance, but now they need more time in order to make sure things run smoothly when its time for launch.

On Saturday, ULA tweeted “As we believe in safety first and are dedicated to mission success, we are taking our time to thoroughly review the data to determine the appropriate path forward. The launch of the ULA #DeltaIVHeavy #NROL44 mission is now set for no earlier than Sept. 28. Additional time is needed for the team to test and evaluate the swing arm retraction system.” The rocket is carrying a classified mission for the National Reconnaissance Office.

Meanwhile next week, SpaceX still plans to carry out two of its missions on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday, SpaceX will once again attempt its launch of a Falcon 9 rocket carrying its 13th batch of Starlink satellites. Last Thursday, severe weather in the recovery area forced the mission to be scrubbed. Monday’s launch is scheduled for 10:22 a.m. EDT from the Kennedy Space Center. However, since ULA has pushed back their launch to Monday with no announcement yet of a launch time, there is no word if SpaceX will continue with their current launch time or if they will make changes to accommodate the ULA mission.

Finally on Tuesday, SpaceX plans to launch the U.S. Air Force’s fourth third generation GPS navigation satellite. Tuesday’s launch window opens at 9:55 p.m. and closes at 10:10 p.m. EDT at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. Be sure to tune into WDBO for live team coverage if the launches go as planned.

Cox Media Group