Eutelsat 10B delayed
November 22, 2022
By Chris Forrester
The launch of Eutelsat’s 10B satellite by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral on November 21st was called off. Reports suggest it was for technical reasons.
A SpaceX statement said: “Standing down from tonight’s launch of the Eutelsat 10B mission to allow for additional pre-flight checkouts; now targeting tomorrow, November 22 at 9:57 pm (Florida time) for lift-off. Weather is currently 20 per cent favourable.”
That warning on weather conditions could mean further delays for the launch. There are currently forecasts for cold weather, gale-force winds and high tides in the region.
This particular launch, when it happens, will see SpaceX depart from its usual launch practice of recovering the rocket’s booster. Instead, Eutelsat has paid for a ‘premium’ launch, taking the satellite higher into space and meaning that SpaceX will not recover the booster.
However, SpaceX will recover the rocket’s protective fairings and has one of its rescue vessels (‘Doug’) 1015 kms downrange standing by. Out of 52 Falcon rockets launched in 2022, a minimum of 40 used at least one reused fairing.