SpaceX scrubs Starlink satellite launch for second day in a row

Oct. 22 (UPI) -- For the second day in a row, officials were forced to scrub SpaceX's Starlink-15 mission.

The aerospace company's Falcon 9 rocket was originally scheduled to carry 60 more Starlink broadband satellites into space on Wednesday, but poor weather pushed the launch to Thursday.

Twenty-four hours later, Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station remains quiet. This time, technical difficulties, not weather, are to blame for the delay.

"Standing down from today's launch of Starlink to allow additional time for mission assurance work; will announce next launch opportunity once confirmed on the Range," SpaceX confirmed on Twitter.

SpaceX is expected to reschedule the Starlink-15 launch for midday Friday.

SpaceX fans and media members have taken to referring to October as "Scrubtober" online, as SpaceX has been continually frustrated by poor weather and launch delays.

If and when SpaceX's 15th Starlink mission is completed, the company will see its broadband constellation grow by 60 satellites. SpaceX has now put 180 Starlink satellites into orbit since the beginning of October.

SpaceX completed its 14th Starlink mission on Sunday. With this week's two launches, SpaceX now has well over 800 broadband satellites in space.

Earlier this month, SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk tweeted that Starlink's constellation had grown large enough to begin beta-testing the Internet service system in both the United States and southern Canada.

SpaceX has already offered Starlink Internet services to emergency responders in wildfire-stricken areas of Washington state.

Washington's Hoh tribe is also using the Internet service to provide their members online education and telehealth services.