SpaceX Delays Launch Of X-37B Spacecraft For The Second Time

JAKARTA - The Falcon Heavy Launching Vehicle was supposed to be launched on Tuesday, December 12. However, about 30 minutes before the launch,SpaceX canceled takeoff time.

Falcon Heavy is scheduled to launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida with the X-37B robotic spacecraft on the USSF-52 mission. The owner of this drone is the United States Space Force (USSF).

Since December 10, SpaceX has continued to pay attention to the weather for the successful launch. At the start of the observations, the weather was still very bad and SpaceX decided to monitor the weather until the next day.

According to SpaceX estimates, weather conditions continue to improve. Initially, the percentage of weather readiness was only 40 percent, then it increased to 70 percent. Minutes before launch, SpaceX stated that weather conditions were getting better.

"Now targeting 20:24 ET for tonight's USSF-52 Falcon Heavy launch. 85 percent of the weather supports and webcast will be broadcast 15 minutes before takeoff," SpaceX wrote on its official account.

While calculating the launch time, SpaceX said it was finding problems on the ground. Thanks to the emergence of this issue, SpaceX plans to launch the USSF-52 on Wednesday, December 13.

"The launch of the Falcon Heavy tonight is due to problems on the ground, vehicles and cargo remain healthy. The team is reorganizing for the next launch opportunity of the USSF-52 mission, which is tomorrow night at the earliest," SpaceX said.

For information, X-37B is an 8.8 meter high drone. The aircraft will operate in orbit carrying an undisclosed payload. This is the first time Falcon Heavy has carried the USSF mission.

Previously, five missions from X-37B were launched by the United Launch Alliance (ULA) on an Atlas V rocket. The five aircraft carried by ULA are different from those carried by SpaceX because this X-37B is a type of reusable aircraft.