CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla – The inaugural launch of the U.S. Navy’s Mobile User Objective System-1 (MUOS-1) satellite – will have to wait another day. High upper-level winds in the skies above Cape Canaveral Air Force Station’s Space Launch Complex-41 (SLC-41) caused the scheduled launch time of 5:46 p.m. EST, to slip – again and again.
With the final attempt at 6:29 p.m. (just one minute before the launch window of the day closed) it actually looked like everything was going “green.” Then with just over a minute left in the count – the launch was scrubbed. The launch window will open at 5:42 p.m. EST tomorrow (Friday) and extend through 6:26 p.m. Tomorrow’s forecast only provides a 40 percent chance of providing favorable conditions for launch.
MUOS-1 is set to launch atop one of the most powerful versions of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Atlas rocket – the Atlas V 551. Both the launch vehicle and MUOS-1 satellite have been secured and the launch team will attempt to send the communications satellite on its way Friday, Feb. 17.