Saturday’s planned liftoff of an Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral has been delayed a day because of weather, according to Paul Aragon of United Launch Alliance.
The launch was reset for 9:14 a.m. ET Sunday, ULA said in a tweet.
Launch Director Paul Aragon was announced that we will not continue with countdown operations today. Another launch attempt will be possible in 24 hours, with Sunday’s target liftoff time at 9:14amEDT (1314 UTC).
— ULA (@ulalaunch) May 16, 2020
“Launch Director Paul Aragon (has) announced that we will not continue with countdown operations today. Another launch attempt will be possible in 24 hours, with Sunday’s target liftoff time at 9:14amEDT (1314 UTC),” the ULA tweet said.
Aragon said earlier that weather in central Florida on Saturday included the potential presence of cumulus clouds and high winds.
A storm system that could develop into a tropical storm is forecast to form off the coast of Florida on Saturday.
Atlas V is to launch the USSF-7 mission for the US Space Force, which will carry the sixth flight of the secretive X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle.
ULA is privately owned venture fromed in 2006 between Lockheed Martin Space Systems and Boeing Defense, Space & Security. ULA manufactures and operates a number of rockets capable of orbiting spacecrafts.
The mission has an added special meaning, ULA said in a tweet that includes a video.
ULA, in partnership with the @SpaceForceDoD and @usairforce, is dedicating the #USSF7 launch to all those affected by #COVID19. A written dedication is affixed to the #AtlasV rocket’s payload fairing #AmericaStrong pic.twitter.com/6VVTHH0R3v
— ULA (@ulalaunch) May 15, 2020
“ULA, in partnership with the @SpaceForceDoD and @usairforce, is dedicating the #USSF7 launch to all those affected by #COVID19. A written dedication is affixed to the #AtlasV rocket’s payload fairing #AmericaStrong,” the tweet said.