Science

SpaceX gets FAA launch approval, but takeoff postponed until Monday

Bruce Weaver | AFP | Getty Images

The Federal Aviation Administration Friday issued SpaceX a license for its upcoming launch, which has been postponed until Monday.

The Hawthorne, California-based SpaceX has been trying to get its rockets back into space since September, when one of its Falcon 9 rockets carrying a multimillion dollar satellite exploded on a launch pad at Cape Canaveral.

Monday's flight will carry 10 satellites for Iridium Communications' Iridium Next satellite constellation.

It was originally scheduled for Sunday, but a public affairs officer at Vandenburg Air Force Base told CNBC Friday that the launch is now tentatively scheduled for Monday at around 10:22 a.m. local time.

"The FAA accepted the investigation report on the AMOS-6 mishap and has closed the investigation," the FAA said in a statement.

The AMOS-6 was the satellite, reportedly valued at more than $200 million, which burned up along with the SpaceX rocket on Sept. 1 of last year.

In a statement on SpaceX's website this week, the company said the investigation showed that the explosion was caused by the failure of a vessel full of helium, used to maintain tank pressure inside the rocket's liquid oxygen tanks.

SpaceX wasn't immediately available to provide further details on the upcoming launch.