SpaceX called off a satellite launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida just 10 seconds before liftoff this evening (July 2) due to a technical issue with the company's Falcon 9 rocket.
"This is a computer abort that happened at T-minus 10 seconds where we're looking at the status of the guidance system and the flight hardware that supports it," John Insprucker, Falcon 9 principal integration engineer, said during SpaceX's launch webcast today. "It appears that something was out of limits. The computer stopped the countdown before we got into the engine-ignition sequence."
The next launch opportunity is tomorrow (July 3) at 7:37 p.m. EDT (2337 GMT). You can watch the launch live here on Space.com, courtesy of SpaceX.
The rocket is still set to launch from KSC's historic Pad 39A, and will mark SpaceX's third launch in 10 days. It will carry the Intelsat 35e communications satellite toward a geostationary transit orbit 22,300 miles (35,800 kilometers) above Earth.
Although SpaceX is known for re-landing the Falcon 9's first stage on a barge or landing pad after launch — the company has successfully done this 13 times to date — the Intelsat 35e mission plan does not include a touchdown. The heavy satellite payload and its high orbit mean the rocket will use too much fuel to retain enough for landing.
Today's launch was scheduled to take place at 7:36 p.m. EDT (2336 GMT).
Email Sarah Lewin at slewin@space.com or follow her @SarahExplains. Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+. Original article on Space.com.
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