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Etna
Member
Given the long run of successful spotless launches, its far more likely there's a concern with the payload than with the rocket.
This could be a payload that was in storage for a while (a spare to other spy sats). It may be misbehaving.
Turns out I'm wrong. Apparently there was an issue with the testing of payload fairings for the one of following missions and the concern is if the issue found can affect the fairing for this launch. We don't know how tiny or big the issue is though.
"Update November 16th, 7:25PM ET : On Thursday, SpaceX stated that it has decided to stand down from the launch as it reviews data of a fairing test the company did for another customer. SpaceX says it still has the opportunity to launch on Friday, but that may not happen depending on how long it takes the company to review the test data. More updates should come over the next day."
SpaceX set to launch mysterious Zuma payload tomorrow night
SpaceX set to launch mysterious Zuma payload tomorrow night
No launch tonight either. I think the first delay was the customer. All subsequent delays have been SpaceX. There seems to be an issue happening with the fairing. The F9 was vertical on the pad. It has now been brought back to horizontal and moved into the hanger for correcting whatever the issue is. If the fairing needs to be replaced then the delay might be much longer. If the issue with the fairing can be fixed then they have the opportunity to launch tomorrow night.
Zuma has been delayed until December. Currently NET December 1st. The fairing issue seems to be something that needs to be worked on at length. And remember that the issue was discovered on a different fairing. Maybe SpaceX has gotten a bad batch of fairings.
That is uncertain. The remaining block of work might be too long to accomplish over a 1 week stand down. Or even 10 days.
But LC40 is returning to service, after CRS13 Zuma could be launched from LC40 instead (assuming its ok to move the rocket and payload between pads).
There has to be some strong indication that fairing recovery is feasible. Otherwise Gwynne and Elon would be downplaying the possibility. Instead we're hearing lots of certainty of future success.
Maybe they're building the bouncy castle.
2nd stage recovery is complicated and expensive (a lot of mass added to the 2nd stage and each ton added in 2nd stage recovery = one less ton of available payload). Fairings cost about 1/4 the cost of the 2nd stage but are very light and are jetisoned much sooner in the flight hence they can survive re-entry and only need a landing mechanism.
So the $$$ for fairing recovery versus the available payload performance is a much better proposition.
But I don't know much about the result of the tests done so far, SpaceX has recovered some fairings no news about the conditions of such fairings to the outside public.
But much like the booster recovery campaign, its an optional process, that only needs to be attempted if it won't interfere with delivery of payload to orbit (and if it won't prevent booster recovery that's #2 priority).
So the $$$ for fairing recovery versus the available payload performance is a much better proposition.
But I don't know much about the result of the tests done so far, SpaceX has recovered some fairings no news about the conditions of such fairings to the outside public.
But much like the booster recovery campaign, its an optional process, that only needs to be attempted if it won't interfere with delivery of payload to orbit (and if it won't prevent booster recovery that's #2 priority).
