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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., July 26 (UPI) — The countdown for the launch of JUPITER 3, a school bus-sized Hughes communications satellite, onboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket was abruptly aborted at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday night.
The mission was canceled with just 1 minute and 5 seconds remaining in the countdown, though no public explanation was provided. The launch has been rescheduled for Thursday night within the same launch window.
Built by Maxar Technologies in Palo Alto, Calif., the JUPITER 3 satellite, worth $90 million, is hailed as the largest commercial communications satellite ever constructed. According to Sharyn Nerenberg, Hughes’ vice president of corporate communications, it has the wingspan of a commercial airliner and weighs over 20 tons.
The liftoff of the rocket was scheduled for 11:04 p.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A, with a launch window of 99 minutes. The U.S. Space Force forecast predicted favorable weather conditions at 85%.
Ronnie Foreman, commercial sales manager with SpaceX and host of the launch’s live broadcast, assured the viewers that both the vehicle and payload were in good condition and ready for launch. However, she emphasized SpaceX’s commitment to safety by stating that any minor irregularity detected during the countdown could result in a launch delay.
Once in orbit, the JUPITER 3 spacecraft will separate from the rocket and take up a station-keeping slot. It is also known as EchoStar XXIV and is designed to provide transmission capacity of 500 gigabits per second across the Americas.
Equipped with an ultra-high-density system, the satellite operates in Ka band to deliver a faster and more responsive Internet experience. The deployment of small, concentrated spot beams allows targeted capacity in specific areas of high demand. North American and South American customers, including regular consumers, small businesses, and governments, will benefit from the satellite’s services.
Besides increasing capacity and connection speeds, the JUPITER 3 satellite will support Wi-Fi for commercial airlines, maritime interests, enterprise networking, and cellular telephone service. This expansion of resources will particularly benefit areas lacking fiber optics and cable services.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket, a powerhouse in the launch industry, will be responsible for delivering JUPITER 3 to geostationary orbit over the Equator. Composed of three reusable Falcon 9 nine-engine cores, the rocket boasts a combined thrust of 5.1 million pounds, equivalent to 18 Jumbo 747 airliners.
After separation, the core stage and boosters will return to landing pads at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, adjacent to Kennedy Space Center. Fueled with a blend of refined hydrocarbons and liquid oxygen, the Falcon Heavy rocket stands at 230 feet tall and 40 feet in diameter.
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