Falcon 9, about to launch 'SphereX', had a problem [Now in Space]

The SphereX, mounted on SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch vehicle, stands tall on the launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, USA. [Photo = NASA]



The launch of the space observatory 'SphereX', jointly developed by the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), has been postponed seven times.



SphereX, which was scheduled to be launched on February 28, has been postponed several times and is now scheduled to be launched on the 11th, Korean time. SphereX was tasked with mapping the entire sky while orbiting the Sun for about two years.



It was discovered that there was a problem with the launch vehicle, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. Since NASA and the KASI have invested a huge budget, they have established a principle that they will not launch unless the launch system is perfect.



NASA explained, "We have established the principle of launching when everything is ready," and "(SphereX) is an important NASA science mission, and even if there is only a 1% risk, we had to postpone the launch until we understood and reviewed the problem."



SphereX explores the entire sky every six months. It focuses on finding traces of space evolution and life. [Photo = NASA]



It has been reported that there were several problems with Falcon 9 behind the launch delay of SphereX.



It was said that a large part of the delay was due to problems with certain parts needed to cushion the impact experienced by the spacecraft when the Falcon 9 rocket ascends. It is said that they took time to inspect to resolve this.



It was also reported that a leak was found in the pressure device of the 'fairing', the cover that surrounds SphereX.



After that, the Falcon 9 rocket safely sent its payload into space and settled on the ground for recycling, but recently, problems have surfaced during this process as well.



NASA added, "On March 2, during the mission to launch Starlink with Falcon 9 at Cape Canaveral in Florida, an accident occurred during the landing of the first stage rocket (booster)." "Additional inspection was needed to prevent such problems."



The Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute said, "After reviewing all preparations, we plan to launch SphereX at 12:10 PM on the 11th, Korean time."



Meanwhile, the discovery of an anomaly with the rocket, Falcon 9, during the SphereX launch is expected to have some impact on the reliability of SpaceX's launch vehicle.





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