SpaceX Scrubs Falcon Heavy Launch of Final ViaSat-3 Satellite Due to Poor Weather
Summary: SpaceX was standing down from launching its first Falcon Heavy rocket in more than a year and a half due to poor weather on Monday, April 27. The mission was to deploy the ViaSat-3 Flight 3 communications satellite—the final satellite in Viasat's third-generation broadband constellation—into a geosynchronous transfer orbit. A new launch date has not yet been announced.
Credit: Spaceflight Now
Mission Overview
The mission was planned to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center, with the triple-booster Falcon Heavy sending the 6-metric-ton ViaSat-3 Flight 3 communications satellite to a geosynchronous transfer orbit. After separation from the rocket's upper stage, the satellite would use its own propulsion system to reach geostationary orbit.
Mission details:
- Vehicle: Falcon Heavy (first flight in over 18 months)
- Payload: ViaSat-3 Flight 3 (third and final satellite in Viasat's third-generation constellation)
- Target Orbit: Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO)
- Launch Site: NASA's Kennedy Space Center
- Booster Recovery: Planned land recovery of two side boosters at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station
Weather and Technical Status
SpaceX called off the mission at 10:48 a.m. EDT (1448 UTC) on April 27, citing poor weather conditions at the launch site. This was the final attempt within the launch window, and a new launch date is expected to be announced soon.
Viasat's Dave Abrahamian said prior to the scrub: "It's kind of the end of an era. We've been working this program for over 10 years now." The ViaSat-3 constellation is designed to provide high-speed broadband internet services across the Americas, with Flight 1 and Flight 2 having launched in May 2023 and May 2024 respectively.
Background: Falcon Heavy Returns
This mission would have marked Falcon Heavy's return to flight after a hiatus of over a year and a half. The Falcon Heavy is SpaceX's most powerful operational rocket, consisting of three first-stage boosters based on the Falcon 9. Its two side boosters are designed for vertical landing and reuse. The rocket serves a wide range of commercial, government, and deep-space missions.