An unmanned SpaceX rocket, topped by an Israeli satellite, was being prepped for a test firing Thursday morning at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida when something went wrong.
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In the meantime, launches of a variety of satellites, including a NASA space station resupply mission scheduled for launch in November, remain on hold pending the results of the failure investigation.
The incident has already negatively affected shares for some SpaceX customers, including the Israeli satellite operator that owns the Amos line of satellites, Spacecom. The Israeli firm, also known as Spacecom, had a lot riding on this launch; its merger with Beijing Xinwei Technology Group was contingent upon successfully placing Amos-6 in orbit. It was meant to be operational for the next 16 years. SpaceX also leases a pad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, adjacent to CCAFS, that once was used for Apollo and space shuttle launches, Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A). “SpaceX has a tremendously reliable product that provides reliable access to space”.
SpaceX said on Friday it can continue launching vehicles from its two other launch sites after the mishap at Cape Canaveral Launch Pad. While Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg is “deeply disappointed ” by the explosion Facebook has not yet announced what it plans to do next.
“Given how long the lead times are on rocket launches, I’m guessing this will set back Facebook’s satellite initiative by quite some time, but that’s not going to have a material impact on Facebook’s business, even if it’s disappointing from an Internet.org perspective”.
Space Communications (Spacecom), owner of the Amos-6 satellite that was destroyed in the September 1 pad explosion along with SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket tasked with lofting it into orbit, is preparing to claim compensation from the satellites manufacture, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), as well as SpaceX.
SpaceX, which now has over 70 planned missions with a value of more than $10 billion for both government and commercial clients, is helmed by Elon Musk, who also leads the electric auto company Tesla Motors and solar power provider SolarCity. Both pads are capable of supporting Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches.We are confident the two launch pads can support our return to flight and fulfill our upcoming manifest needs.
SLC-40 and LC-39A can accommodate both Falcon 9 and the larger Falcon Heavy rocket SpaceX is now developing.
Other customers slated for Falcon 9 launches from Florida in 2016 are EchoStar Corp of Englewood, Colorado, South Korea’s KT Sat and NASA. Neither SpaceX, nor the FAA which is overseeing the investigation, have said how much damage the explosion caused at SpaceX’s primary launch site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.
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