Elon Musk Aims To Launch SpaceX Rocket After Massive 2016 Falcon 9 Explosion
Keisha WallaceElon Musk is seemingly not a fan of setbacks as the SpaceX CEO is gearing up for another launch of the Falcon 9 rocket after a massive explosion back in September 2016. Reportedly, the business magnate is looking to resume the flight of Falcon 9 on Jan. 8 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The news came following reports that the company engineers have already figured out the failure that triggered the fiery launch of the rocket last year.
As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the strange fireball in Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on Sept. 1, 2016, was not caused by a faulty design or manufacturing error. Instead, an accumulation of oxygen following the rupture of a pressurized helium container inside the rocket's second stage oxygen tank triggered the ignition. That said, SpaceX made it clear that it has already pointed out the possible causes of the explosion and implemented corrective actions to address the issues.
However, launching another SpaceX rocket will not come easy as the company still needs to undergo testing this week. For this reason, the Jan. 8 schedule may be moved depending on the testing results. But if the Federal Aviation Administration releases the license for Falcon 9 to launch and the rest goes well, the company may be able to send 10 Iridium Communications Inc. satellites into orbit through Falcon 9 on Sunday.
Iridium aims to send its next-generation satellites on the Falcon 9 to facilitate communications on land, sea and air, Independent reported. The Virginia-based company has been eager to place the satellites into orbit since last year. Now that the SpaceX rocket is getting another shot to launch, Iridium can't be more pleased to hear the announcement, reportedly.
SpaceX has already delayed the flight of its rocket multiple times after the very sudden explosion. Initially announced to resume its launch in November, the Musk moved the date to December but still didn't come to fruition. Hopefully, the January launch will push through and become a success.
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