SpaceX to resume Falcon 9 rocket launch on Dec. 16

SpaceX hopes to return its Falcon 9 Rocket to flight on Dec. 16, according to Iridium Communications that also plans to have its satellites on board for launching.

The launching is approved by the Federal Aviation Administration, which oversees US commercial space transportation, Iridium said on Thursday.

"We are looking forward to return to flight," said SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell.

SpaceX has suspended flights after one of their rockets busted into flames on Sep. 1 as it was being fueled for a routine pre-launch test at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida.

The company probe pointed out that the explosion was caused by a fueling system problem that triggered a pressurized container of helium inside the rocket's upper stage to burst open.

The accident destroyed a $200 million satellite owned by Israel's Space Communication Limited. The Sep. 1 accident was the second for SpaceX in 29 flights of the Falcon 9.

The company, owned and operated by Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk, has a backlog of more than 70 missions for NASA and commercial customers, worth more than $10 billion.

But the company seemed confident in their latest quest to do a successful launching.

"We are confident that SpaceX understands its fueling process now and will do it successfully for our launch," said Iridium spokeswoman Diane Hockenberry.

"Iridium NEXT will be launching on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket on Dec. 16, 2016 at 12:36 p.m. PST [2036 GMT]. Launching from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

The Falcon 9 rocket will deliver 10 Iridium NEXT satellites into low-Earth orbit, said Iridium in a statement.

The 10 satellites are the first of 70 that Iridium plans to loft abroad Falcon 9 Rockets over a series of seven launches that were held. The new NEXT constellation will replace the network of about 66 Satellites that Iridium currently operates in lower Earth orbit.

Iridium has also intended to replace their current mobile communications network with 81 new satellites made by Italy's Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture of Thales SA and Leonardo Finmeccanica SpA under a contract worth about $2.3billion.

Tags
Spacex, Falcon 9, Falcon 9 rocket
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