Elon Musk’s SpaceX Falcon 9 is set to break in its new launchpad at the historic Kennedy Space Center (KSC) of NASA. The launch will be SpaceX’s first in KSC and is scheduled to happen after midnight of Jan. 30. It was also revealed that the SpaceX Falcon 9’s payload will be communication satellites for the EchoStar Corporation.
SpaceX is planning to push through with its plans to make a first time rocket launch at NASAs Kennedy Space Center’s launchpad 39A. The pad set history as it was used as the launchpad for the Saturn V moon rockets and space shuttles. The blast off is said to happen not earlier than Monday, Jan. 30. The liftoff is estimated at exactly 12:04 a.m. while countdown is expected to start before midnight.
The KSC launch follows SpaceX Falcon 9’s successful launch on Jan. 14 which took place at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The said flight carried 10 communication satellites for the Iridium Communication Incorporated. From that mission, the rocket’s first stage had a successful landing through a robotic drone ship which was stationed in the Pacific Ocean.
According to Florida Politics, SpaceX has signed a 20-year lease of the pad with NASA in 2014. The aerospace company then planned Falcon Heavy rockets set to start launches this year and is considered as the most powerful rockets. This, however, will not be used on the said launch but would rather utilize a Falcon 9.
Following the rocket launches coming from NASA KSC, SpaceX had to recondition the launchpad 39A. The company has however kept mum about the refurbishment costs. Elon Musk took on fresh urgency after a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket went up in flames on Sept.1, 2016. The explosion was supposedly the company's primary launchpad at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida's Space Coast. The said accident destroyed the Falcon 9 rocket and its payload which is a $200 million Israeli communications satellite. It also heavily damaged the launchpad. According to Florida Today, the damage also serves as a reason why SpaceX had to launch its next rocket from KSC.
The Sept. 1 accident also grounded the Falcon 9 fleet while investigations were ongoing. Investigating teams tried to piece together why the rocket exploded while it was fueled for its routine, prelaunch engine test. As for the Jan. 30 launch, the Federal Aviation Administration, has not yet given the EchoStar flight a license along with the possible landing of the SpaceX Falcon 9’s first stage.
