Rocket Lab aborted a launch on the final second right now (Sept. 18).
The corporate’s Electron rocket was scheduled to launch 5 “Web of Issues” satellites for the French firm Kinéis right now at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT) from New Zealand.
The countdown clock reached zero, and Electron appeared to fireside up its first-stage engines. However they instantly shut down, leading to an abort.
“Since right now’s mission required an instantaneous launch, we’ll be standing down from additional launch makes an attempt right now. The crew is assessing alternatives for the following launch try and we’ll share extra info right here shortly,” Rocket Lab wrote in an update on X shortly after the abort.
The launch window extends for 14 days, Rocket Lab has beforehand stated.
Associated: Rocket Lab launches 5 IoT satellites on landmark fiftieth mission (video)
Rocket Lab calls this mission “Kinéis Killed the RadIOT Star.” It will likely be the corporate’s second launch for Kinéis, after a five-satellite liftoff on June 20.
Kinéis plans to loft a complete of 25 satellites utilizing Rocket Lab’s Electron, a small-satellite launcher that stands 59 toes (18 meters) tall. Rocket Lab has 52 orbital missions beneath its belt to this point, together with 10 in 2024.
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