The company SpaceX was schedule to launch a commercial communications satellite on Sunday evening, yet the launch was aborted by the computer in control of the rocket as it was about to lift off.
The failed endeavor to launch the satellite was the third attempt of SpaceX’s second launch of the year so far. The rocket ship Falcon 9 had already initiated liftoff and was set to launch from Cape Canaveral in Florida.
Apparently, the computers onboard called the abort due to low thrust alarms. The rocket scheduled to launch on February 28 at 6:46 pm was aborted due to a security breach inside a restricted area. Though the rocket was still preparing for takeoff, the launch team was unaware that the fuel had warmed up by the time the rocket was clear to launch. This, in turn, triggered the rocket’s internal computer to shut down the engines when they had already been ignited.
A boat is to blame for the delay before the launch as it wandered into an off-limits area, causing the computers inside the rocket to call the launch off only seconds before takeoff. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk referred to the delay in his Twitter account and explained the countdown had to be paused and reset due to a boat. The vessel out at sea apparently moved into restricted zone under the rocket’s flight path causing the delay of the launch.
“SpaceX Launch aborted on low thrust alarm,” said CEO Elon Musk in a tweet. “Rising oxygen temps due to hold for boat and helium bubble triggered the alarm.”
Falcon 9 mission should be renamed Phoenix 9
After many failed attempts to get the commercial communications satellite in orbit, SpaceX is focused on getting back on the horse, as it will take back the scheduled routine launches soon enough. In previous attempts, the company had to abort the missions due to insufficient liquid oxygen in the rocket, so it would be accurate to describe the mission with a Phoenix, rather than a Falcon. It would, at least, show an amusing take on the setbacks for the mission with a positive outlook.
Nevertheless, no adverse effects were reported as the rocket and its payload resulted in being healthy as the launch was called off in the nick of time thanks to the computers onboard the space vehicle. The Falcon 9 vehicle’s payload, the SES-9 satellite will be the largest satellite supporting the Asia-Pacific region, so it’s no wonder that scientists at SpaceX are under pressure to complete the mission.
Remarkably, Musk’s goal is to provide high-speed broadband, television, and other services to a range of customers in over 20 countries. For this amazing task, SpaceX is counting with a spacecraft with 81 high-powered Ku-band transponder equivalents. So, when Musk’s company finally gets the spacecraft to launch into orbit without setbacks, it will be a historic day for SpaceX and the world.
http://www.space.com/32076-spacex-ses9-satellite-launch-abort.html