SpaceX's Falcon 9 and the SES-9 satellite are on the launch pad, and ready to go. (credit: SpaceX)
Twice SpaceX attempted to launch the SES-9 communications satellite into space last week, and twice the rocket company had to scrub. The reason was not weather, but rather issues with ensuring the rocket was fueled with the right amount of liquid oxygen postponed the festivities.
With its new, more powerful variant of the Falcon 9 rocket, SpaceX is having to handle this super-cold, dense propellant more carefully, and one of the things it is trying to do is deliver the right amount of fuel just before launch. With near perfect weather conditions expected for launch today, look for that to be the main issue to watch as SpaceX counts down toward the 6:46pm ET opening of the launch window.
As with other recent launches, SpaceX will try yet again to fly its booster back to an automated ship in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. However, because this is a high orbit (about 35,000km above the equator) and will require a heavy vehicle with more fuel and more speed, returning safely back to Earth is far from a sure thing. Additionally, at 5,300kg, this is the heaviest payload SpaceX has attempted to deliver to a geostationary orbit.
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