The launch, scheduled for today, has been postponed by at least one day, following the discovery of a crack. The launch window extends until Thursday, and the rocket remains on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral.
During a routine review of close-out photos of the rocket on Monday, SpaceX engineers discovered a three-inch crack in the engine nozzle on the rocket's second stage.
SpaceX hasn't yet made a decision on whether to repair the crack or ship a replacement part from California.
Known as COTS (Commercial Orbital Transportation Services) 1, the launch is the first flight of the Dragon spacecraft and the first commercial attempt to re-enter a spacecraft from orbit. It's the first of three test launches currently planned in the Falcon 9 test flight series.
The plan is to put the rocket into orbit about 185 miles up. It should then carry out a series of maneuvers designed to test steering and navigation before reentry and splashdown in the Pacific Ocean about 500 miles west of Mexico.
SpaceX Rocket Launch Delayed
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