Following two scrubs, SpaceX launched on the third attempt with a batch of 13 communications and missile tracking satellites from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base on the Tranche 0 Flight 2 mission for the Space Development Agency (SDA) on Friday. An issue with engine 4 scrubbed the first attempt, with a ground valve issue scrubbing Friday’s attempt.
The SDA mission will be SpaceX’s 50th launch from Vandenberg. After conducting a total of 19 launches from SLC-4E from 2013 through 2021, the pace has picked up recently with 13 missions in 2022 and 17 flights already completed in 2023. This launch came after SpaceX launched its Starlink Group 6-13 mission on Thursday.