The planned launch of a 233-foot-tall, 1.6-million-pound United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket on Friday was delayed about three hours before it was set to blast off from Vandenberg Air Force Base with a top secret satellite, authorities said.
National Reconnaissance Office Launch 71, or NROL 71, was scheduled to lift off at 8:19 p.m., ULA said in a written statement.
But the company “scrubbed” the launch in favor of trying again 24 hours later, ULA said via Twitter.
We have scrubbed the #NROL71 launch activities for today. The team will set for a 24-hour countdown to recycle to make an attempt tomorrow. Follow our launch blog for updates https://t.co/wLoggekye0
— ULA (@ulalaunch) December 8, 2018
The launch will be the private space launch company’s 132nd mission, and its second Delta IV Heavy launch in under four months. The mission is being flown in conjunction with the Air Force’s 30th Space Wing.
ULA boasts a 100 percent mission success rate.
ULA plans to live stream the launch beginning 20 minutes before liftoff.
