SpaceX To Have Another Flight This Week

Iridium has proclaimed last week that the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket could have another flight on Dec. 16. This time, the communications company is sending 10 satellites on board for the launch.

According to The Space Reporter, it was reported previously that the Falcon 9 rocket explosion did have a negative effect on the launch schedule of Iridium. The company desires Elon Musk's SpaceX back on the launching pad as soon as possible so as to place up the Iridium NEXT constellation before the present constellation gets decommissioned.

It was just last month that Elon Musk has confirmed that he and his team have finally worked out what caused the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket explosion last Sep. 1. The billionaire additionally proclaimed that rocket launches could resume as early as next month, according to The New York Times.

Just last week, Reuters had reported that the SpaceX launch, as proclaimed by Iridium, must have the approval of the Federal Aviation Administration. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell said in a statement released by Iridium that they are looking forward to the return flight.

It was found out that the explanation for the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket explosion was caused by a refueling system problem. The blast destroyed a satellite, with a worth of $200 million, which was owned by Israel's Space Communication Ltd.

Iridium representative Diane Hockenberry told the publication that they are confident that SpaceX has already understood the fueling process of the rocket and will have to do it successfully for the launch. She noted that the company's satellites would not be placed on board the rocket throughout the prelaunch engine firing.

According to The Motley Fool, 10 satellites from Iridium will be the first out of the 81 scapecraft that the company will be sending to space. The efforts are for replacing the existing satellites in space.