SpaceX to Indefinitely Postpone Its Historic Polar Trajectory Launch Amid the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic; Paves the Way for More Starlink Launches

SpaceX to Indefinitely Postpone Its Historic Polar Trajectory Launch Amid the Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic; Paves the Way for More Starlink Launches

4 years ago
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https://wccftech.com/spacex-to-indefinitely-postpone-its-historic-polar-trajectory-launch-amid-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic-paves-the-way-for-more-starlink-launches/

SpaceX has been compelled to indefinitely postpone its next scheduled launch – comprising of an Argentinian payload – due to the travel restrictions imposed to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Argentina’s space agency – CONAE – envisaged this project, called SAOCOM, as a constellation comprising of two satellites. SpaceX launched SAOCOM 1A in October 2018 from its facility at the Vandenberg Air Force Base. Since that time, the satellite has been transmitting satellite radar and Earth observation data to scientists, farmers, etc. SpaceX had scheduled the launch of SAOCOM 1B for the 30th of March 2020. In anticipation of the launch, the satellite in question had arrived at Cape Canaveral from Argentina in February. However, complications arose when Argentina’s government summarily banned all international travel – so as to limit the spread of the coronavirus infections – and the country’s space agency could not secure the required exemption for transporting personnel and supplies to Florida for launch preparations.