According to the U.S. Air Force, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is expected to launch the Thai communications satellite, Thaicom 6, on Monday, January 6.
The Thai communications satellite was scheduled for a launch from Cape Canaveral, on Friday, January 3. If for any reason the launch is further delayed, SpaceX has backup launch dates from January 8 to January 12.
"We're not aware of anything that would cause a mission failure, but in order to ensure the highest possible level of mission assurance we decided to conduct additional inspections of the launch vehicle," said Emily Shanklin, a SpaceX spokesperson.
Falcon 9 failed to take off twice in the same week in November 2013. SpaceX hopes the rocket will successfully launch on Monday, January 6.
The Thai commercial communications satellite has been built by Orbital Sciences Corp. and will provide enhanced television quality and additional high-definition (HD) channels in the Asia-Pacific region. The satellite carries 18 C-band and eight Ku-band transponders connected to three antennas.
SpaceX is said to have worked even during holidays to prepare the Falcon 9 launch pad after the company's successful December 3 launch of the SES-8 television broadcasting satellite. SpaceX is expected to replicate the December 3 flight, which will send the 3.6 ton Thaicom 6 satellite to an orbit stretching more than 50,000 miles from Earth at its highest point. The mission is expected to take around 30 minutes from launch to spacecraft separation.
The launch of Thaicom 6 will mark the eighth flight of a Falcon 9 rocket since 2010. The launch will also witness the third launch of Falcon 9's latest version since its debut in September 2013.
The hardware for the launch, which was previously scheduled for Friday, January 3, was delivered to Cape Canaveral in late November 2013. The components were put in storage before the launch of SES-8. The launch of the SES-8 made room for technicians to assemble and fuel the next spacecraft.
On December 28, ground crews put Falcon 9 through a full countdown rehearsal. The launch team also loaded propellants in the rocket and ended the countdown with a brief ignition of the first stage's nine main engines.
SpaceX scheduled to lift off Thaicom 6 at 5:06 p.m. on Monday, January 6, from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.
