SpaceX Resolves Rocket Issues after Scrub, Rolls Falcon 9 to Florida Pad and Poised for Liftoff with NASA TESS Exoplanet Searcher: Apr 18 Watch Live

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and NASA TESS exoplanet hunter poised for liftoff from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on April 18 at 6:51 pm EDT. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Ken Kremer  --   SpaceUpClose.com  --   18 April 2018

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FL – After Mondays planned launch of NASA’s TESS exoplanet hunter was scrubbed due to problems with the Falcon 9 rockets Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) system, SpaceX and NASA have rescheduled the launch to this evening Wednesday, 18, Florida’s Spaceport.

TESS is scheduled to blast off on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket at 6:51 p.m. EDT Wednesday, April 18 from seaside Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

The launch window lasts a short 30 seconds.

The rocket was lowered back down at pad 40 after Monday’s scrub about T Minus hours before liftoff so that SpaceX engineers could evaluate an issue with the GNC system.

With the GNC issues apparently resolved, the rocket was raised vertical again early this morning and countdown preparations resumed.

The Falcon 9 and TESS are poised for liftoff at sunset today.

SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and NASA TESS exoplanet hunter were raised vertical early April 18 after resolving GNC issues.  They are poised for liftoff from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on April 18 at 6:51 pm EDT. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Up close view of NASA TESS exoplanet hunter encapsulated inside the nose cone atop SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket poised for liftoff from Space Launch Complex-40 on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL, on April 18 at 6:51 pm EDT. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

The weather outlook is excellent with a greater than 90 percent chance of acceptable conditions at launch time.

TESS is poised for launch from the Florida Space Coast today, Wednesday April 18 on an inspiring mission to discover new Earth like habitable worlds beyond our Solar System.

“It's launch day! @NASA_TESS will launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from SLC 40 at
Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,” said NASA.

“Everything is progressing smoothly for a 6:51 PM ET liftoff. Weather is holding at 90% "Go".

Check out our gallery of up close images taken today and Monday during the media remote camera setup.

If you can’t personally be here to witness the launch in Florida, you can always watch NASA’s live coverage on NASA Television and the agency’s website.

The NASA TESS launch coverage will be broadcast on NASA TV beginning  at 6:30 p.m. Apr. 18 with additional commentary on the NASA launch blog.

SpaceX will also offer their own live webcast beginning approximately 15 minutes before launch at about 6:35 p.m. EDT.

You can watch the launch live at NASA TV at -  http://www.nasa.gov/nasatv

You can also watch the launch live at SpaceX hosted Webcast at - spacex.com/webcast

Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA’s TESS, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Orbital ATK and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer - ken at kenkremer.com