WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — The launch was scheduled for 1:34 a.m. local time (5:34 GMT), with weather conditions mostly forecast as favorable. The chance of the launch being canceled due to unfavorable weather was no higher than 30 percent.
"Standing down due to high winds; working toward next available launch opportunity," the company wrote on Twitter.
Standing down due to high winds; working toward next available launch opportunity.
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) 14 марта 2017 г.
The next date for the launch is March 16.
The EchoStar 23 mission was initially scheduled for 2016, but had to be postponed after an incident involving a Falcon 9 exploding during a pre-launch test occurred in September 2016.
The Falcon 9 will carry a communication satellite of EchoStar Corporation into geosynchronous transfer orbit. The mass of the satellite is some 5,500 kilos (12,125 lb), which makes the EchoStar 23 the heaviest geosynchronous payload yet launched by the Falcon 9. SpaceX is therefore required to use the fully expendable configuration of the carrier rocket.
SpaceX has so far managed to successfully land five non-expendable Falcon 9 carriers: two on land, and three on drone ships. The first launch of the previously used Falcon 9 is expected to take place in March.
