Monday, April 20, 2009

SpaceX Delays First Commercial Launch

Hawthorne-based SpaceX, the commercial rocket venture of Elon Musk, has hit a snag in its first commercial launch, saying this morning that the firm has delayed an upcoming launch of its rocket, due to a "potential compatibility issue" between the firm's rocket and the RazakSAT spacecraft it is supposed to deliver to orbit. According to SpaceX, Astronautic Technology (M) Sdn Bhd (ATSB) and the firm have agreed to postone the launch of ATSB's RazakSAT satellite. The firm described the issue as affecting "potential impact of predicted vehicle environments on the satellite." The firm did not say when the launch would be rescheduled. The launch was originally scheduled for today.

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