SpaceX was forced to abort the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket just seconds before liftoff on Sunday due to a potential aircraft entering restricted airspace near the Vandenberg Air Force Base launch site. The incident highlights the ongoing challenges of balancing rocket launches with commercial aviation.
SpaceX was forced to abort the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket just 11 seconds before liftoff on Sunday due to a possible aircraft incursion into restricted airspace near the launch site. The launch, which was intended to deploy 27 Starlink satellites into orbit, was being broadcast live on SpaceX's X platform during its final countdown when a voice commanded 'hold, hold, hold' at the 12-second mark.
Moments later, the same voice, presumably a launch control operator, announced, 'Held for a possible aircraft in the airspace.' The video feed abruptly ended, with the launch subsequently postponed. The identity of the aircraft that may have triggered the abort remains unclear. While several planes flew near the restricted zone around the scheduled launch time, social media and media outlets pointed to Delta Flight 480 as a potential culprit. According to FlightAware data, the Boeing 767 departed from LAX in Los Angeles and was en route to Honolulu's Daniel K. Inouye International Airport around 7 a.m. on Sunday. Its takeoff path took it northward before turning west just past Vandenberg Air Force Base, SpaceX's primary launch site for Falcon 9 missions.Delta Airlines issued a statement to Business Insider, asserting that the crew on Flight 480 strictly followed air traffic control instructions and reached Honolulu without incident. Audio recordings from air traffic control communications, posted on YouTube by VAS Aviation, reveal an air traffic controller discussing the launch with the crew of DL480, even remarking that they 'look[ed] like they're gonna have the best show for the rocket launch.' Shortly after, the ATC noted that SpaceX had initiated a 'countdown hold.' Southwest Flight SWA1311, also operating in the vicinity of the restricted zone, was another aircraft in the area at the time. When contacted by Business Insider, Southwest Airlines referred inquiries to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The FAA, however, stated that they had not received any reports concerning the incident.
Spacex Falcon 9 Launch Abort Aircraft Incursion Vandenberg Air Force Base Starlink Satellites Commercial Aviation Aerospace Safety
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