Rare automated hold during final countdown phase
During the planned Starlink 17-39 flight, SpaceX encountered an uncommon automatic shutdown of the launch sequence just before the rocket was due to leave the ground. The Falcon 9 vehicle was set to lift off from launch complex 4E at the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The flight would have marked the 85th use of a Falcon 9 booster by the company in the current calendar year. The scheduled liftoff moment was fixed at 7:49 a.m. local Pacific time, equal to 10:49 a.m. Eastern time and 14:49 coordinated universal time.
- Mission name: Starlink 17-39
- Site: Pad 4E, Vandenberg Space Force Base
- Target T-0: 7:49 PDT / 10:49 EDT / 14:49 UTC
- 85th Falcon 9 launch of the year for SpaceX
The event is an exception to the generally high reliability record of the reusable rocket family. No details on a possible revised launch attempt have been released so far.