SpaceX delays launch manifests
July 15, 2020
By Chris Forrester
Elon Musk’s SpaceX has quite a lot of work on hand and consequently is currently delaying rocket launches.
For example, a launch scheduled for July 14th (of Anasis-II) was scrubbed because of a need to take a closer look at the Falcon 9’s second stage and perhaps swapping out hardware, according to a SpaceX statement.
That particular launch was for a South Korean military satellite and as this is written no new date has been provided for its launch which will be from Launch Complex 40.
Also in abeyance is a launch that should have happened in late-June and has suffered 3 delays partly down to bad weather over Florida but also because of at least one technical issue. This launch – when it happens – will be the 10th to place a batch of SpaceX Starlink craft into orbit. On July 13th the rocket was moved from its vertical position to horizontal suggesting that technicians still have work to do before returning it to a state of readiness at the Kennedy Space Centre and Launch Pad 39A.
Word from the SpaceX team is that they are still working to catch up on these two delayed launches and also to add a third to the monthly manifest in the form of a communications satellite (SAOCOM-1B) for Argentina which is penciled in for July 30th.