SpaceX delays SAOCOM 1B

Per SpaceX:

The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Commission for Space Activities (CONAE) announce the decision to postpone the launch of the SAOCOM 1B satellite, originally scheduled for the end of March.

This decision has been made considering the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and that could affect the availability of own resources and foreign third-party resources, necessary not only for a safe insertion into orbit, but also for further operation of the satellite.

This postponement has been agreed with the company providing the launch service, SpaceX, considering that it is the best decision in these moments of uncertainty and dynamism about the situation that the whole world suffers because of COVID-19.

This measure will be supplemented with activities at the launch base that will ensure the conditions for adequate protection of the SAOCOM 1B satellite at the SpaceX facilities.

The authorities of this Commission will await the evolution of the conditions that will make possible the resume of the activities related to the launch of the SAOCOM 1B satellite and its subsequent reliable injection into its final orbit according to the original plans.

That being said, we don’t have a makeup date for this sun synchronous launch, that would put it into orbit with the previous launch the SAOCOM 1A. The two satellites work together to provide data for the teams below, and both have a particular orbit that must be maintained.