Elon Musk's SpaceX is continuing its launch after launch with the Falcon 9's blastoff set for early Monday evening, May 15. The rocket's launch follows the critical static hot-fire test that was successfully completed last May 11. If the upcoming event is successful, SpaceX can make a recovery in the eyes of its critics.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 is set to launch from the Florida Space Coast, carrying a commercial high-speed broadband satellite for Inmarsat PLC. According to Universe Today, SpaceX is targeting for launch at twilight which will provide a rare sky show for those within the area. Considering the explosions from their 2015 and 2016 launches, the rocket company cannot guarantee success for now.
Market Watch reports that if the launch of Falcon 9 is a success, then Musk will be able to convince his critics that the company has gone a long way from its ambitious failures in the past. Furthermore, with all the launches scheduled for this year, Musk hopes to significantly cut the prices on each project by perfecting the method of using reusable boosters.
Meanwhile, the London-based Inmarsat had initially planned on using SpaceX's other rocket, the Falcon Heavy. But for unknown reasons at this time, the project was switched to Falcon 9.
"I'm sure we're going to have a really, really exciting show (Monday)," said Inmarsat CEO Rupert Pearce, as quoted by Florida Today. "Everyone at Inmarsat, SpaceX and Boeing is really, really pumped about this launch. It's a very significant one for us at Inmarsat, because we call it the end of the beginning of the Global Xpress era."
So far, the updates from SpaceX looks like all systems are ready for the green light. The weather also looks like it won't be interfering with the much-anticipated launch of Falcon 9.
Falcon 9's blastoff is scheduled at 7:21 p.m. EDT with a window of 40 minutes. The launch complex is at 39A Kennedy Space Center. The event can be watched live through various social media platforms.
