Monday, December 21, 2015

SpaceX Aims To Launch Mission Today

Hawthorne-based SpaceX is hoping to launch its first mission since a catastrophic failure in June today from Cape Canaveral, launching 11 satellites into space--and attempting a ground-based landing of its first rocket stage. According to SpaceX, the primary mission of the launch is delivery of a fleet of commercial communications satellites for ORBCOMM. SpaceX had originally been aiming at a launch of the payload on Sunday, but delayed the launch to today. SpaceX said it hopes to land the first stage of the Falcon 9 in its "Landing Zone 1", which is a former U.S. Air Force rocket and missile testing range. That attempted landing will cause a large sonic boom over parts of Florida, as its rocket stage breaks the sound barrier on return from space.