The Falcon 9 rocket’s Easter Sunday departure at Vandenberg Space Force Base has been delayed at least a day.
With the clock counting down and less than a minute left, a crew member called out “hold, hold, hold” just before 8 p.m. Sunday and the rocket’s launch abort sequence began.
“We are scrubbed today due to upper-level wind shears,” a SpaceX crew member said, noting the rocket and payload were healthy.
For each launch vehicle, various rules are put in place to ensure missions occur safely.
The next attempt will occur as soon as Monday with the window again expected to open at 4:03 p.m. and close at 8:03 p.m.
For this mission, SpaceX will use a brand-new first-stage booster that is scheduled to land on the droneship in the Pacific Ocean.
The two-stage rocket is set to deliver 25 Starlink satellites into space.
A live webcast of the mission is scheduled to begin about five minutes before liftoff at spacex.com/launches and on X @SpaceX.
Vandenberg’s manifest for the week also includes a Northrop Grumman Minotaur IV vehicle with a military payload known as the Space Test Program 29A (STP-29A) mission. That rocket could launch as soon as Tuesday.
That will be followed by another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch between 7:39 p.m. and 11:39 p.m. as soon as Thursday.
Launches can get delayed for several reasons, including technical troubles with the rocket, payload or support equipment; unfavorable weather; and scheduling issues.