SpaceX launches ASBM mission hours after scrubbing Starlink launch

Aug. 11 (UPI) -- SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket topped with a pair of communication satellites for Norway's Arctic Satellite Broadband Mission from California on Sunday hours after scrubbing a launch of Starlink orbitals at the last moment in Florida.

The rocket carrying the two ASBM satellites launched at 7:02 p.m. PT from Space Launch Complex 4E at California's Vandenberg Space Force Base.

SpaceX later confirmed the deployment of both satellites and the return to Earth of the first-stage booster, which landed upon the Of Course I Still Love You droneship that was stationed out in the Pacific Ocean.

According to a statement from Northrop Grumman, which built the satellites for the mission, the orbitals are expected to expand broadband coverage to the Arctic region for U.S. Space Force and Spacey Norway.

"The satellites include multiple payloads including military payloads for the U.S. and Norwegian armed forces, as well as a commercial payload for Viasat and a radiation monitor for the European Commission," it said, adding that the launch also marks the first time an operational Department of Defense payload was hosted on an international space vehicle.

About a half day earlier and on the other side of the United States, SpaceX scrubbed its planned launch of a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida just 46 seconds before it was scheduled to blast off, the company announced.

"Vehicle and payload are in good health and teams are resetting for a launch attempt on Monday, August 12," SpaceX said in a post on X .

The launch was scheduled to carry the next in a series of Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit Sunday, and was moved to the next available launch window on Monday.

SpaceX has launched some 80 rockets so far this year and there are more on the horizon. Officials in California approved an increase in the number of missions to take off from Vandenberg, but imposed some conditions . Among the conditions, SpaceX will have to implement increased wildlife monitoring, find ways to limit the effects of the sonic booms emitted during launches and incur the costs of debris falling into the ocean.

"I think what we're trying to do today is to ensure that when these launches take place, that they're being done in a way that minimizes impacts to our natural environment and tries to mitigate those impacts to the greatest extent possible," Commissioner Justin Cummings said during the meeting at King Gillette Ranch, according to the VC Star.