SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch aborted seconds before liftoff

Feb. 18 (UPI) -- The launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket just before liftoff due to a second stage thrust vector control issue.

SpaceX announced the scheduled Saturday morning launch from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla. was scrubbed at the T-minus 10 second mark as the launch crew examined the issue.

"Standing down to take a closer look at positioning of the second stage engine nozzle," the space exploration company said.

CEO Elon Musk wrote on Twitter that all systems were in place apart from the thrust vector control issue.

"All systems go, except the movement trace of an upper stage engine steering hydraulic piston was slightly odd. Standing down to investigate," he said. "If this is the only issue, flight would be fine, but need to make sure that it isn't symptomatic of a more significant upstream root cause."

A SpaceX spokesman said the launch was aborted "out of abundance of caution" during a live stream of the launch.

The next opportunity for the rocket to launch from the historic pad 39A will open at 9:38 a.m. on Sunday.

The launch will be SpaceX's first launch in Florida since one of their rockets exploded in Summer 2016.