SpaceX scrubs Falcon Heavy launch, will try again Thursday

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., April 10 (UPI) -- SpaceX's Falcon Heavy launch of the Arabsat 6A satellite was scrubbed Wednesday due to strong winds in the upper-level atmosphere in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

Another attempt is set for Thursday evening at 6:35 p.m. Delays or postponements can happen because of weather, technical problems or other issues.

The launch could mark another potential milestone for the company and the U.S. commercial space industry.

The Falcon Heavy is the world's tallest and most powerful rocket in use. Wednesday's launch marks the first time a Block 5 booster will be used for the big rocket. It also carries the Falcon Heavy's first commercial payload -- the ArabSat 6A communications satellite for the Saudi Arabia company of the same name.

The Block 5 booster is the latest-generation Falcon 9, intended to be reused numerous times with minimal refurbishment. A Falcon Heavy is basically three Falcon 9's strapped together.

The launch attempt brought crowds of spectators to the Titusville and Cocoa Beach areas, some of whom had waited through several previous delays of the launch, originally set for Sunday evening. On the Falcon Heavy's maiden voyage into space in February 2018, an estimated 100,000 visitors came to watch.

That launch was the biggest rocket since the Saturn era ended in the 1970s. It was carrying Elon Musk's red Tesla Roadster with the crash dummy Starman at the wheel.

With the second launch of Falcon Heavy, two side boosters will attempt to fly back to twin landing pads at Kennedy Space Center, while the main booster will attempt an ocean barge landing. The boosters are visible from miles around, creating another viewing highlight after the launch itself.

Development of the Falcon Heavy, like all of SpaceX's missions, has been described by SpaceX founder Elon Musk as a step toward his goal of sending people to Mars.

A launch on a Falcon Heavy carries a price tag of $90 million, compared to competitor United Launch Alliance's Delta IV Heavy, which costs more than $300 million. Falcon Heavy is taller than the shuttle launch rocket was, but carries a little less thrust or power.