Update May 20, 12:14 a.m. EDT: SpaceX scrubbed its planned launch.
SpaceX scrubbed the planned launch of its 60th Falcon 9 rocket of the year just minutes before its midnight mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station took flight. The company concluded its broadcast before issuing a reason for the launch abort.
When it launches, the Starlink 12-15 mission will carry 23 Starlink V2 Mini satellites into low Earth orbit. Among those, 13 feature Direct to Cell capabilities.
Liftoff Space Launch Complex 40 was targeting 11:58 p.m. EDT on May 19 (0358 UTC on May 20). SpaceX does have a backup launch opportunity on Tuesday, May 20, starting at 11:18 p.m. EDT (0318 UTC), if it is ready to move forward with the launch at that point.
“Falcon 9 had an auto abort just prior to T-0,” SpaceX said in a social media post after the scrub. “Vehicle and payload are in good health and teams are resetting for a launch attempt no earlier than Tuesday, May 20.”
On Sunday, the 45th Weather Squadron forecast a 95 percent chance for favorable weather during the launch window on Monday. Meteorologists said there was a “very small chance” for a launch weather violation due to cumulus clouds.
SpaceX will debut Falcon 9 booster 1095 on this mission. It was spotted rolling past the Kennedy Space Center Press Site Saturday afternoon on its way to SLC-40.
The launch of B1095 represents the fourth new booster launched by SpaceX so far this year. The company has 18 other booster currently in rotation, though B1072 has only flown once as a Falcon Heavy side booster during the June 2024 launch of the GOES-U weather satellite.
A little more than eight minutes after liftoff, B1095 will target a landing on the SpaceX droneship, ‘Just Read the Instructions.’ A successful landing will represent the 121st touchdown on this vessel and the 449th booster landing to date.
