A SpaceX rocket launch planned for Tuesday afternoon at Vandenberg Space Force Base was forced to take a rain check after a widespread power outage scrubbed the liftoff, according to a statement from the Federal Aviation Administration.
\nThe power outage in the Santa Barbara region disrupted telecommunications at the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center, creating a \u201cno-go condition for launch,\u201d NASA said in post.
\nThe control center manages air traffic over 177,000 square miles of airspace including California\u2019s coast from L.A. to San Luis Obispo, the Ventura area and into the Pacific for about 200 miles, according to the FAA.<\/p>\n
The decision came just 45 seconds before the rocket was set to launch, with a SpaceX official calling, \u201cHold, hold, hold. … We have aborted launch today due to airspace concerns.\u201d
\n\u201cThe FAA took this action to ensure the safety of the traveling public,\u201d the administration said.
\nThe FAA also issued a ground stop at the Santa Barbara Airport on Tuesday due to the outage, the airport said in a statement. Flights were diverted and delayed. Power at the airport hadn\u2019t been restored as of about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, according to a spokesperson, who said that the ground stop would be lifted once power was restored to the area.<\/p>\n
In addition, the outage disrupted 911 service throughout Santa Barbara County, according to KTLA.
\nAs for the SpaceX launch, the rocket and its payloads were still in good shape, NASA said.
\nAboard the rocket were two twin satellites, a part of NASA\u2019s TRACERS mission \u2014 Tandem Reconnection and Cusp Electrodynamics Reconnaissance Satellites.
\nThe two satellites will study Earth\u2019s magnetosphere by determining how magnetic explosions send solar wind particles into Earth\u2019s atmosphere, and how those particles affect space technology and astronauts. <\/p>\n
The launch was rescheduled to Wednesday at 11:13 a.m., NASA said. It will take place at Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg.
\nLast month, a SpaceX launch from the same location lighted up the night sky across Southern California. <\/p>\n
The SpaceX launch delay due to a power outage highlights the importance of ensuring all systems are go before proceeding with a launch. The safety of the traveling public and the success of the mission are paramount, and any issues that could potentially compromise these must be addressed promptly. With the launch rescheduled, NASA and SpaceX are ready to proceed, aiming to contribute valuable insights into Earth\u2019s magnetosphere and its interactions with solar wind.<\/p>\n
The launch was delayed due to a widespread power outage in the Santa Barbara region that disrupted telecommunications at the Los Angeles Air Route Traffic Control Center.<\/p>\n
The power outage not only affected the SpaceX launch but also disrupted 911 service throughout Santa Barbara County and caused flights to be diverted and delayed at the Santa Barbara Airport.<\/p>\n
The TRACERS mission aims to study Earth\u2019s magnetosphere, specifically how magnetic explosions send solar wind particles into Earth\u2019s atmosphere and how these particles affect space technology and astronauts.<\/p>\n
The launch was rescheduled for Wednesday at 11:13 a.m. at Space Launch Complex 4 East at Vandenberg.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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