Falcon 9 Launch Scrubbed: Mid-Ignition Glitch Delays Astranis’ MicroGEO Satellites Deployment

Update Dec. 21, 12:22 a.m. EST (0522 UTC): SpaceX faced a pad abort; rescheduled for Sunday launch.

An uncommon pad abort compelled SpaceX to halt the launch of four MicroGEO satellites for California-based Astranis into a geosynchronous transfer orbit.

SpaceX did not provide a specific reason for the cancellation but noted in a social media post that they were rescheduling the launch to Sunday.

The mission, titled ‘Astranis: From One to Many,’ features the company’s UtilitySat, designed to reposition itself within geostationary Earth orbit throughout its lifespan to adapt to various mission objectives. It will be launched alongside three other satellites.

Liftoff from pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station is slated for 12 a.m. EST (0500 UTC) on Dec. 22. Spaceflight Now will offer live coverage starting approximately one hour prior to liftoff.



Leading up to the launch opportunity, the 45th Weather Squadron reported a likelihood of over 95 percent for favorable conditions at liftoff on Friday evening. Launch weather officers cited no specific issues that would hinder the launch from a meteorological standpoint during the primary launch.

“A broad area of high-pressure over the central United States will bring northwest winds and drier air to the Cape Friday and Saturday,” meteorologists noted in their prediction. “While the Probability of Violation is slightly elevated on the backup day due to a minor possibility of violating the flight-through Cumulus Cloud Rule, we anticipate good weather for either launch window.”

With the launch postponed to Sunday, the weather is considered 95 percent favorable, with cumulus clouds representing the only potential concern at liftoff. Meteorologists also indicated that upper-level wind shear will range from low to moderate.

The Falcon 9 first-stage booster designated B1077 in SpaceX’s fleet will be making its 17th flight. Its previous missions have included Crew-5, GPS 3 Space Vehicle 06, and CRS-28.

Approximately 8.5 minutes post-launch, B1077 will return to land on the SpaceX droneship named ‘A Shortfall of Gravitas,’ situated in the Atlantic Ocean. If successful, this will mark the 91st booster landing on ASOG and the 387th booster landing overall.

Compact payload, significant mission

The four satellites aboard the Falcon 9 are referred to as MicroGEO satellites due to their dimensions being similar to that of a washing machine. Constructed in Astranis’ Pier 70 facilities in San Francisco, CA, they are expected to operate for approximately eight to ten years.

Two of these satellites, named NuView Alpha and NuView Bravo, will cater to Anuvu’s aviation and maritime clients. The partnership between Anuvu, formerly known as Global Eagle Entertainment, and Astranis was announced in July 2021, aimed at servicing the North American and Caribbean areas.

“Our goal is to enhance our connectivity network in a manner that is both scalable and flexible for our mobility clientele,” remarked Josh Marks, CEO of Anuvu, in a 2021 press release. “Astranis and its MicroGEO satellites will grant Anuvu’s customers freedom from prolonged contracts and obsolete legacy systems. Most importantly, they are rapidly deployable, possess a mission lifespan of seven to ten years, and can be managed and updated from the ground, allowing our mobility clients to adapt their business models as new technology emerges.”

Anuvu has ordered the two satellites set to launch on Friday (initially intended for launch in “early 2023”) along with an additional six to be included later.



Also included in Friday’s launch is a satellite named ‘AGILA,’ which is named after the national bird of the Philippines. This is the first of two satellites aimed at providing services to that country through a collaboration with Orbits Corp.

“Orbits Corp will have the capability to double the number of people it connects in the most isolated islands of the Philippines,” stated John Gedmark, Founder and CEO of Astranis, in a November 2023 blog entry. “Millions of individuals, many earning less than $5,000 annually, will gain internet access as a direct consequence.

“Orbits Corp projects that this two-satellite initiative will create up to 10,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Philippines, fostering economic growth and initiating development in many of the smallest and most remote communities within this rapidly growing nation.”

GEO mobility

The last satellite onboard the mission is referred to as ‘UtilitySat,’ which will initially serve Astranis client, Apco Networks, an internet service provider located in Mexico.

This marks the first of two MicroGEO satellites acquired by the firm, which has the capability to “connect up to five million individuals,” Gedmark stated in a 2023 blog entry.

“Several of our team members at Astranis hail from Mexico, with some originating from small towns where connectivity is severely lacking or completely absent,” he shared. “As they informed us, and as our further exploration revealed, the demand for improved connectivity in Mexico is unmistakable — over 30 percent of the population currently lacks internet access, and satellite communication frequently represents the sole means of reaching isolated and rural areas spread across the rugged, mountainous landscape of Mexico’s 32 states.

“Furthermore, the nation is prioritizing enhancements in satellite internet access. Connectivity is considered a constitutional right in Mexico, and the President has prioritized connectivity as a national objective.”

UtilitySat distinguishes itself from the other three satellites in this mission due to its design aimed at modifying its orbital position and supporting a different mission than initially intended at launch.

“UtilitySat is the world’s inaugural multi-mission commercial GEO satellite, capable of executing fully operational broadband connectivity missions across Ka, Ku, and Q/V bands,” Astranis proclaimed on its website. “As a fully maneuverable satellite equipped with onboard propulsion, UtilitySat is set to undertake multiple such missions throughout its orbital lifespan — repositioning or reorienting every year, month, or day to address immediate customer requirements.”

The organization revealed plans to deploy “a fleet of UtilitySat satellites in the near future.”