Written by Sue Samson
In the realm of rocket launches, not only can technical issues cause a delay, but Mother Nature comes into play, too.
Wednesday, July 24, was a rather tumultuous weather day on the space coast with thunderstorms roaming in and out all day. According to the Air Force’s 45th Space Wing Weather Squadron, there was only a 30 percent chance of favorable weather conditions at 6:24 pm (which was the window when the International Space Station and Earth’s orbits are aligned for launch attempt).
Unfortunately, even though the rain had stopped and skies were clearing, there were anvil and cumulus clouds in the area that could hold an electrical charge. This could trigger lightening if a rocket were to pass nearby. Thus, the launch was scrubbed — just seconds before blast off.
The next attempt is Thursday, July 25, at 6:01 pm. However, the chance of good weather is the same as it was yesterday.
Everyone on the Kacena Lab team will be spending their free time today working on perfecting their NO-rain dances.
Where to watch
For coverage of this second launch attempt, scheduled for 6:01 pm Thursday, follow these links:
- NASA TV. This may also be available via various local cable and satellite services.
- NASA Facebook Live
- NASA YouTube
- Space.com
- Rocket Launch Live
