SpaceX set to launch new Falcon 9 Block 5 this afternoon

SpaceX will be reattempting the launch of its new Falcon 9 rocket later today after a technical glitch forced the American aerospace firm to abandon its first attempt.

The new rocket, dubbed the Falcon 9 Block 5, had been on course to begin its maiden voyage yesterday at 10:47pm BST from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

But Alphr says a “last-minute technical problem” forced the rocket’s onboard computers to abandon the launch moments before lift-off.

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SpaceX later confirmed on Twitter that the rocket was in “good health” and that a second attempt at launching the new Falcon 9 would take place this afternoon at 4:14pm EDT (9:14pm BST).

The new Block 5 rocket boasts several upgrades over the current version of the company’s Falcon 9 spacecraft, says CNBC.

These include an increase in engine power, “more resilient hardware” to cope with the harsh conditions of re-entering the atmosphere and a reduction in weight, the US-based news site says.

The aim of the Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket is to make it usable on at least ten missions before any major parts need replacing, says Business Insider.

SpaceX has never launched a “used” Falcon 9 rocket more than twice, the news site says, as the current crop of spacecrafts often sustains significant damage when re-entering the Earth’s atmosphere.

If the Falcon 9 Block 5 launch goes ahead this afternoon, the new rocket will blast into Earth’s orbit and launch a Bangladeshi communications satellite approximately 33 minutes after take-off, says SpaceX.

In the run-up to the 9:14pm BST lift-off, fans can watch the mission live from SpaceX’s website by clicking here.