SpaceX and NASA postpone historic astronaut launch due to bad weather – CNBC

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— CNBC’s Tom Franck contributed to this report.

Before the weather hold-up, the SpaceX countdown was smooth and without technical difficulties or hitches for an approximated launch time of 4:33 p.m. ET. The rocket needs to introduce at a specific time because it needs to send the spacecraft on a trajectory that will meet the International Space Station in orbit around the Earth.

The launch had brought in a complete cadre of VIPs, with President Donald Trump and first girl Melania Trump both flying down to Florida to view the mission personally. Several members of Elon Musk‘s family had joined him in the mission control space to watch, too.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.– With just under 17 minutes to go, SpaceX decided to postpone its historical first astronaut launch on Wednesday due to serious weather in the area.

The U.S. Air Force’s 45th Space Wing is giving a 60% possibility of beneficial weather condition on Saturday.

The company will try once again to introduce the Demo-2 objective on Saturday at 3:22 p.m. ET.

“Due to the climate condition, the launch is scrubbing,” NASA composed. “Our next opportunity will be Saturday, May 30 at 3:22 pm ET.”

The launch director revealed the Demo-2 mission was a scrub out of an abundance of caution for the safety of the crew on board. It would have been the very first time NASA astronauts released with SpaceX and the very first time NASA has actually launched its own team considering that 2011.

NASA and SpaceX had carefully seen climate condition throughout the day, as local thunderstorms gone through the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Additionally, severe weather off the coast of South Carolina was a factor that release directors were monitoring, as conditions on the surface area of the Atlantic Ocean could affect the spacecraft in case of an abort mid-launch.

In a tweet, NASA said, “we are not going to launch today.”

The launch director announced the Demo-2 mission was a scrub out of an abundance of caution for the security of the team on board. Before the weather condition hold-up, the SpaceX countdown was smooth and without technical hurdles or drawbacks for an estimated launch time of 4:33 p.m. ET.”Due to the weather conditions, the launch is scrubbing,” NASA wrote.

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