Tech

SpaceX aborts second launch attempt for Falcon 9 rocket

Key Points
  • SpaceX aborted a second launch attempt Monday for a Falcon 9 rocket carrying Intelsat 35e.
  • Causes for the hold up in Monday's launch are still being evaluated, SpaceX said.
  • Elon Musk later tweeted another launch will be attempted no earlier than July 5 or 6.

SpaceX aborted a second launch attempt Monday evening for a Falcon 9 rocket carrying Intelsat 35e, a commercial communications satellite. The launch was shut down by SpaceX's computers with less than 10 seconds to liftoff.

Immediately after, SpaceX said in a tweet it was standing down for the day due to a violation of abort criteria, adding that the payload was in good health. It said the next launch opportunity will be on July 4.

SpaceX tweet: Standing down today due to a violation of abort criteria, vehicle/payload in good health, next launch opportunity tomorrow, July 4th!

But several hours later, CEO Elon Musk tweeted that SpaceX would spend July 4 doing a full review of rocket and launch pad systems. He added that the next launch date will be no earlier than July 5 or 6.

Elon Musk tweet: We're going to spend the 4th doing a full review of rocket & pad systems. Launch no earlier than 5th/6th. Only one chance to get it right ...

SpaceX earlier said on the live broadcast for the launch that it was looking into the cause for the hold up, but added that Sunday's issues appeared to have been fixed. SpaceX shifted the launch time twice on Monday, from the initial 7:37 p.m. EDT to the final time of 8:35 p.m. EDT. When the launch failed, the company said it was standing down for the day.

On Sunday, SpaceX attempted to launch the Falcon 9 from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. But it was also aborted at T-10 seconds before liftoff.