NASA and SpaceX Delay Europe Clipper Launch Due to Hurricane Milton.
The Europa Clipper mission was initially scheduled for launch on Oct. 10.
NASA and SpaceX have delayed the launch of the Europa Clipper mission due to Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall in Florida this week, the space agency stated on Oct. 6.
NASA said the storm is expected to bring high winds and heavy rainfall to Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island on Florida’s east coast later this week, prompting safety measures ahead of the severe weather.
NASA has not yet confirmed a new launch date for the mission but stated that launch opportunities will remain open until Nov. 6, according to the statement.
The space agency stated that its recovery teams will assess the safety of the spaceport once the storm has passed, as well as an inspection of the launch processing facilities for any storm-related damage.
“Once we have the ‘all-clear’ followed by facility assessment and any recovery actions, we will determine the next launch opportunity for this NASA flagship mission,” Dunn stated.
Round-the-clock operations to clear remaining debris from Hurricane Helene are also still ongoing, including with the help of thousands of Florida’s National Guardsmen. Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Oct. 7 that more than 12,000 cubic yards of debris have already been removed within the last 36 hours.
The governor also said that more than 30,000 linemen have been prepared in anticipation of power outages. Some of them are coming from as far as California due to ongoing power restoration efforts from Hurricane Helene in other states.
T.J. Muscaro contributed to this report.