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Historic SpaceX astronaut launch scrubbed
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THOSE MOMENTS WERE LIKE. DAN: BOB BEHNKEN AND DOUG HURLEY HAD VIRTUAL HUGS FOR THEIR WIVES AND SONS AS THEY LEFT THE OPERATIONS AND CHECKOUT BUILDING TO HEAD FOR THE LAUNCH PAD. DECKED OUT IN SNAZZY NEW SPACESUITS, AND CHAUFFEURED IN AN EXPENSIVE TESLA GULL-WING CAR. EVERYTHING LOOKED LIKE THE NEW ERA THAT’S DAWNING IN AMERICAN SPACEFLIGHT, THE ERA OF PRIVATELY OWNED SPACE SHIPS. BUT THAT NEW ERA DIDN’T QUITE DAWN. >> CONTINUE TO VIOLATE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT WEATHER RULES THAT DO NOT EXPECT TO CLEAR IN TIME TO ALLOW FOR A LAUNCH TODAY. DAN: THE ELECTRICAL CHARGE IN THE ATMOSPHERE LEFT BEHIND BY THUNDERSTORMS MADE IT TOO DANGEROUS TO LAUNCH. >> UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE NOT GOING TO LAUNCH TODAY. >> A GOOD EFFORT BY THE TEAM AND WE UNDERSTAND AND WE WILL MEET YOU THERE. DAN: HURLEY AND BEHNKEN HAD TO CLIMB RIGHT BACK OUT AGAIN, AND THE FUEL WAS UNLOADED FROM A ROCKET THAT WEIGHED 1.2 MILLION POUNDS WHEN FUELED. THE ASTRONAUTS ARE NOT ONLY THE FIRST TO FLY COMMERCIALLY, THEY’RE THE FIRST TO SIT ON A ROCKET WHILE IT’S BEING FUELED. IN THE PAST, THE DANGEROUS PROCESS OF FUELING WAS DONE BEFORE THE ASTRONAUTS GOT ONBOARD. >> THESE ARE THE BEST AMERICA HAS TO OFFER. STEWART: AN EXODUS OF LAUNCH SPECTATORS LEAVING BREVARD’S COAST THIS EVENING. THE DECISION TO SCRUB THE MISSION IS DEVASTATING TO THE MANY WHO ARE VISITING THE SPACE COAST FOR THIS MOMENT. WESH 2’S CHRIS GUARDARO SHOWS US WHAT IT IS LIKE TO WAIT HOURS FOR A NO-GO. CHRIS: THOUSANDS ARE HEADING HOME WEDNESDAY NIGHT FEELING LET DOWN BECAUSE THE WEATHER DID NOT COOPERATE FOR THIS HISTORIC LAUNCH, BUT YOU CAN BET SPACE FANS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY WILL LINE THESE PARKS ALONG INDIAN RIVER AGAIN TO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE SPACEX ROCKET ON ITS NEXT TRY. LISA CASTLES AND HER SIX-YEAR-OLD SON TIMOTHY ARE TWO OF THE MANY WHO BELIEVE IT IS WORTH WAITING HOURS TO SEE MINUTES OF HISTORY WITH YOUR OWN EYES. >> EVERY TIME HE SEES ONE GO OFF ON THE TV, EVEN IF IT’S A REPLAY, HE RUNS OUTSIDE TO SEE IF HE CAN SEE THE ROCKET. CHRIS: TIMOTHY HAS NEVER SEEN A ROCKET UP CLOSE. THE CASTLES CHOSE A SPOT IN PORT ST. JOHN TO WATCH THE FIRST MANNED MISSION ON AMERICAN SOIL IN NINE YEARS. >> WE’RE FROM KISSIMMEE. WE LEFT THE HOUSE ABOUT 9:00 THIS MORNING, GOT OVER HERE ABOUT 10:30 AND WAITED OUT A COUPLE OF STORMS. CHRIS: WHILE THE CASTLES FAMILY WOULD NOT LET RAIN RUIN THE SPECIAL DAY, SPACEX AND NASA DECIDED OTHERWISE, SAYING THUNDERSTORMS MADE IT UNSAFE FOR THE FALCON 9 TO LIFT OFF. THE NEWS OF A SCRUBBED LAUNCH CAUSED SPECTATORS TO POUR OUT OF THE ONCE CROWDED BREVARD PARKS. >> VERY DISAPPOINTING, VERY DISAPPOINTING. WE WON’T BE ABLE TO COME BACK ON SATURDAY TO SEE IT. SO IT’S REALLY DISAPPOINTING. LONG TRIP FOR NOTHING. >> TIMOTHY, GET YOUR BALL. COME ON. CHRIS: FOR SIX-YEAR-OLD TIMOTHY, THE MOST IMPORTANT LAUNCH OF HIS YOUNG LIFE WILL HAVE TO WAIT. >> A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED. ESPECIALLY FOR THE LITTLE GUY BECAUSE HE’S BEEN SO LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. CHRIS: THE CASTLES FAMILY SAYS
Historic SpaceX astronaut launch scrubbed
SpaceX and NASA have scrubbed Wednesday’s attempt at launching astronauts from American soil for the first time since 2011. The scrub came after fueling of the Falcon 9 rocket had already begun. The next attempt at launch will come Saturday at 3:22 p.m. If that launch is also scrubbed, the next attempt would be Sunday at 3 p.m. The move comes after President Donald Trump had traveled to Central Florida and landed at Kennedy Space Center. Related stories:5 facts about the historic launchMeet the astronauts: Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley set to make historyThe history of human spaceflight through the yearsThis is the next frontier for space travelersHow SpaceX beat Boeing in the race to be firstFrom the Shuttle to the Dragon: How spaceships have evolvedThe history-making flight into orbit was called off with 16 minutes to go in the countdown because of the danger of lightning. The spacecraft was set to blast off Wednesday afternoon for the International Space Station, ushering in a new era in commercial spaceflight and putting NASA back in the business of launching astronauts from U.S. for the first time in nearly a decade. Ever since the space shuttle was retired in 2011, NASA has relied on Russian rockets to carry astronauts to and from the space station.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. —
SpaceX and NASA have scrubbed Wednesday’s attempt at launching astronauts from American soil for the first time since 2011.
The scrub came after fueling of the Falcon 9 rocket had already begun.
The next attempt at launch will come Saturday at 3:22 p.m. If that launch is also scrubbed, the next attempt would be Sunday at 3 p.m.
The move comes after President Donald Trump had traveled to Central Florida and landed at Kennedy Space Center.
Related stories:
- 5 facts about the historic launch
- Meet the astronauts: Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley set to make history
- The history of human spaceflight through the years
- This is the next frontier for space travelers
- How SpaceX beat Boeing in the race to be first
- From the Shuttle to the Dragon: How spaceships have evolved
The history-making flight into orbit was called off with 16 minutes to go in the countdown because of the danger of lightning.
The spacecraft was set to blast off Wednesday afternoon for the International Space Station, ushering in a new era in commercial spaceflight and putting NASA back in the business of launching astronauts from U.S. for the first time in nearly a decade.
Ever since the space shuttle was retired in 2011, NASA has relied on Russian rockets to carry astronauts to and from the space station.
