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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches the company's next set of the second generation Starlink satellites st 2:53 AM from Complex 39 at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida on Thursday. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI |
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Feb. 5 (UPI) -- SpaceX will delay the launch of the Hispasat Amazonas Nexus mission until Monday at 5:32 p.m. EST, after unfavorable weather conditions held up Sunday's planned launch.
The rocket was scheduled to lift off at 5:32 p.m. EST on Sunday from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. It was initially delayed by two hours as conditions were 30% favorable for lift off, SpaceX said. It was delayed by another two hours, slated for 9:32 p.m. EST, before being called off for the day.
"Standing down from tonight's Falcon 9 launch of the @Hispasat Amazonas Nexus mission due to unfavorable launch and recovery weather conditions; latest weather forecast for tomorrow's launch opportunity is 90% favorable for liftoff," SpaceX tweeted.
The Hispasat Amazonas Nexus is a commercial communication satellite that will be launched into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The first stage booster that will be used has been launched for five prior missions, including three Starlink launches.
The satellite will provide coverage for North America, the north and south Atlantic corridors and Greenland, said Hispasat, a communications company based in Spain.
"Amazonas Nexus marks the start of a new generation of satellites in HISPASAT's fleet with an innovative architecture that also features Ka-band capacity to optimize communications between the gateways and the satellite, allowing to multiply the total on-board capacity available for commercial use, thus improving to a great extent the capacity unitary cost with respect to conventional satellites," the company said.
The main feature of the Amazonas Nexus is a Digital Transparent Processor that HIspasat calls a "technological breakthrough." This technology will allow operators to adjust its data output to different customers throughout its coverage area while in orbit.
A livestream of the launch will begin 15 minutes before launch.
