CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - SpaceX is hoping that after several delays, it will finally launch the Japanese-led ispace HAKUTO-R Mission 1 lunar lander from Florida this weekend.
It was scheduled to launch on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. However, SpaceX delayed the launch to make more time to inspect the Falcon 9 rocket and review data.
On Dec. 7, SpaceX tweeted that inspections have been completed and that liftoff is targeted for no earlier than Sunday, Dec. 11 at 2:38 a.m. ET.
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The Falcon 9 will lift off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Also onboard the rocket is the Lunar Flashlight, a small satellite managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California.
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The SpaceX rocket booster will return for landing back at Cape Canaveral Landing Zone 1 about 8 minutes after the liftoff, sending sonic booms across Central Florida.
According to SpaceX, the launch will mark the fifth for this Falcon 9 rocket booster. The first stage booster supporting this mission previously launched SES-22 and three Starlink missions.