Why Was DSCOVR Launch Canceled? Tracking Problems Ground Satellite

Sad news for Elon Musk's SpaceX mission: The Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) operation was foiled because of an issue with Air Force’s Eastern Range radar system in Florida, NASA said Sunday. The next possible time for the mission is at 6:07 p.m. EST Monday at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, but there’s only a 40 percent chance the weather will cooperate, NBC News.

The launch on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket was 2 minutes, 26 seconds away when the launch team yelled: "Hold, hold, hold,” NBC reported. The range tracking system, an essential part of the mission needed in case something happens during the takeoff, was not working properly.

The satellite is to collect information to help weather forecasters make more accurate predications about solar storms, NASA said, aiding technologies related to GPS, telecommunications, aviation and power grids. It could also make traveling to space more economical, the Washington Post reported.

The satellite is a $340 million project 17 years in the making. It was first suggested by then-Vice President Al Gore, NBC News said. For his involvement, the mission earned the nickname "Goresat."

Musk, the founder of SpaceX took to Twitter, to reveal the mission would take place Monday after the radar failure. With the extra time, the first stage video transmitter will also be replaced. Musk made sure to add it’s not needed “but nice to have.”