SpaceX scrubs launch of 2 SES mPOWER satellites
by Allen Cone
Washington DC (UPI) Jul 21, 2025
SpaceX scrubbed the launch of two O3b mPOWER satellites for Luxembourg-based SES on Monday from Cape Canaveral Space Station.
The Falcon 9 was scheduled to lift off at 5:27 p.m. from Pad 40 but, with 11 seconds on the countdown clock, it was aborted.
During the SpaceX webcast, a launch director said: “T-minus 15 seconds” and was followed by “hold, hold, hold.”
A reason for the scrub wasn’t given. The favorable weather outlook was listed as 50% for a “go for launch,” Florida Today reported.
The next launch opportunity is a two-hour window starting at 5:12 p.m. Tuesday with 25% odds of favorable weather, according to the 45th Weather Squadron.
SpaceX earlier launched eight satellites for the company into medium Earth orbit. They are stationed about 5,000 miles above Earth.
Deployment is roughly two hours after the launch.
The two mPOWER satellites were delivered by Boeing to Florida earlier this month.
“This next-generation satellite network was designed to bring connectivity to the ‘other three billion’ — those who lack consistent, reliable access to communications systems,” SES said on its website. “For the first time, telcos connect entire island nations, remote industries access digital tools and governments conduct vital operations to the harshest terrains.”
The same first-stage booster launched the last two satellites for SES in December 2024. The booster was also involved in the NASA Crew-10 launch and two Statlink missions.
About 8 1/2 minutes after liftoff, the booster is scheduled to land on “Just Read the Instructions” droneship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
There have been 128 landings on the vessel with 478 in Florida and California.
SpaceX is planning the launch of a Falcon 9 at 11:13 a.m. PDT Tuesday from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. They are NASA’s Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Satellites, or TRACER, and are intended to study the interaction of the Sun’s solar particles with the Earth’s magnetic field.
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