The United Launch Alliance (ULA) was set to send off its most powerful rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. They were launching a classified spy satellite for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) using a Delta IV Heavy with three rocket cores strapped on its base.

The mission was supposed to be the first of three proposed back-to-back launches out of Cape Canaveral by the ULA and SpaceX. After ULA launched, SpaceX was scheduled to launch two missions.

So many missions clustered together was a rare event for the Florida spaceport. Brigadier, General Douglas Schiess, the commander of the 45th Space Wing oversees the launches.

“It could be a historic event for us this week — lots of things going on,” He said during a press call before the first failed launch.

After that flight, SpaceX will then launch its next batch of Starlink internet-beaming satellites. Originally, SpaceX had hoped to launch these two missions on consecutive days following ULA’s launch. This would have have been three launches in four days from Florida, which would have been a record.

Aborted mission and delayed launches

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned.

• On Thursday, Aug. 27, ULA announced the planned early morning launch would be delayed due to a faulty heater issue on the launchpad. The company rescheduled to attempt the launch again on Saturday morning, Aug. 29. 

• The following Saturday, Aug. 29, at just 3 seconds to liftoff, the countdown stopped. The second attempt to launch the Delta IV Heavy was aborted. Just after the engines ignited they were shut down.

ULA says the abort was caused by  “an unexpected condition.”  ULA’s CEO, Tory Bruno, announced that the rocket is in good shape, but there will be a seven-day review of all data before a relaunch can be scheduled.

SpaceX missions adjusted to ULA “aborts” 

When the Delta IV Heavy finally does launch, SpaceX will be next-on-deck.