SpaceX halted its 75th Starlink mission of the year shortly before liftoff on Thursday. Controllers triggered an abort in the final 30 seconds of the countdown at Space Launch Complex 40. The company provided no immediate details regarding the specific cause of the scrub.
The mission aims to deploy 29 additional broadband satellites into low Earth orbit. This launch is set to use the Falcon 9 booster B1078. The vehicle is scheduled for its 30th flight, which represents a significant milestone in the ongoing effort to normalize orbital hardware reuse.
Weather forecasts for a potential Friday window indicate an 80 percent chance of favorable conditions at the start. Meteorologists warn that local storm activity along the sea breeze may pose challenges as the day progresses. The 45th Weather Squadron continues to monitor the atmospheric conditions around the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
Once the mission proceeds, the booster is planned to land on the droneship A Shortfall of Gravitas. The vessel is currently positioned in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South Carolina. This recovery attempt marks the 164th landing on this specific droneship and the 652nd successful booster retrieval for the company overall.