CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – SpaceX on Wednesday launched a GPS satellite aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral.
Originally scheduled for 7:10 a.m., the launch took place at 7:24 a.m. from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
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The launch was pushed back due to a “spacecraft issue,” according to CBS space expert Bill Harwood, but the problem did not prevent the rocket from lifting off.
The satellite was sent into orbit as part of SpaceX’s GPS III Space Vehicle 06 mission, the sixth third-generation navigation satellite for the U.S. Space Force, Kennedy Space Center said.
According to SpaceX, the launch was the company’s fifth GPS III mission and second national security launch of 2023.
After the launch, SpaceX successfully landed the Falcon 9′s first-stage booster on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship.
Falcon 9’s first stage booster has landed on the A Shortfall of Gravitas droneship pic.twitter.com/3Bn8p1vGxF
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 18, 2023
Liftoff! pic.twitter.com/japNCsqHs8
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 18, 2023
F9/GPS-3/SV6: SpaceX has updated the launch time due to a "spacecraft issue;" new T-0 is 7:24am EST (1224 UTC)
— William Harwood (@cbs_spacenews) January 18, 2023
Targeting Wednesday, January 18 at 7:10 a.m. ET for launch of the GPS III Space Vehicle 06 mission from SLC-40 in Florida → https://t.co/vLxHQ3WoRU pic.twitter.com/sg9yH1jjuB
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) January 17, 2023
Forecasters with Space Launch Delta 45 said there was the chance that weather would interfere with the main and backup launch dates are less than 10%.
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