SES-10 launch slips
March 28, 2017
By Chris Forrester
The launch of SES-10 by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has been moved by one day to March 30th.
SpaceX carried out its obligatory ‘hot test’ firing of the rocket’s engines on the afternoon of March 27th with a full-power testing of the rocket’s nine Merlin engines to a massive 1.7 million pounds of thrust while heavy-duty clamps kept the rocket fixed to the ground.
With the static fire wrapped on Monday, ground crews then rolled back the two-stage Falcon 9 rocket to its hangar near Launch Pad 39A, where the SES 10 communications satellite will be fitted atop the launch rocket.
SpaceX tweeted that the static engine test was completed successfully. Technicians will have to examine the results from the tests before giving a final all-clear, but the launch window opens at 6 p.m. EDT (2200 GMT) Thursday and extends for two-and-a-half hours.