Atlas 2AS rocket puts TV satellite in space

A Falcon 9 rocket aborts its lift off at the final moment on February 28, 2016, as seen from the press site at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The rocket was supposed to launch the SES 9 communication satellite and had already been delayed by fueling problems and a boat that strayed into the launch danger area off shore.

The nation’s existing Atlas and Delta launch sites are vying for a future when United Launch Alliance completes its modernization with a new rocket system and downsizing to one pad on each coast.

Successfully put through its countdown paces in a critical pre-flight test Thursday, America’s largest rocket currently in service moved closer to a June launch for the U.S. intelligence community.