SpaceX scrubs satellite launch

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 23 (UPI) -- SpaceX scrubbed its launch to send 143 small satellites into space Saturday, blaming weather conditions.

The scrub came about 5 minutes before the expected liftoff time.

"Due to unfavorable weather, we are standing down from today's launch; the team will continue with the countdown until T-30 seconds for data collection. Another launch attempt is available tomorrow, January 24 with a 22-minute window opening at 10:00 a.m. EST," the company tweeted.

A Falcon 9 rocket carrying 143 small satellites for the Transporter-1 mission is now expected to lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on Sunday morning.

With more than a dozen customers, the mission's largest number of satellites come from San Francisco-based Planet (formerly Planet Labs), with 38 SuperDove spacecraft for Earth observation and imaging.

SpaceX itself has packed 10 of the company's Starlink communications satellites on board.

The first-stage reusable booster of the rocket will attempt a landing on a drone ship at sea after launch.

The rocket also is carrying three satellites the size of coffee mugs for a NASA experiment on satellite-to-satellite communication and several platforms owned by launch brokers, such as Houston-based Nanoracks, that also carry numerous tiny satellites for other companies.