Wed Jan 22 06:40:00 IST 2025: ## SpaceX Scrambles Falcon 9 Launch After Near-Miss with Plane
**Cape Canaveral, FL** – A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launch carrying Starlink satellites was aborted with just 11 seconds to go on Sunday due to an aircraft allegedly entering restricted airspace near the launchpad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The dramatic near-miss, captured on SpaceX’s X account live stream, saw a launch controller shout “Hold, hold, hold!” before confirming a potential aircraft violation.
The launch, originally scheduled for Saturday, was postponed following the incident. While several planes were in the vicinity at the time, the specific aircraft responsible remains unclear. Although social media speculation pointed to Delta Flight 480, Delta Airlines denies any wrongdoing, stating they followed air traffic control instructions. A YouTube video of air traffic control audio revealed a controller telling Delta Flight 480 they would have a “best show” for the rocket launch. Southwest Airlines also had a flight nearby, but neither they nor the FAA reported any involvement in the incident.
The Falcon 9 successfully launched on Tuesday morning, deploying 27 Starlink satellites and marking the 400th successful landing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 first stage booster, as announced on SpaceX’s X account. The FAA is likely to investigate the near-miss to determine the cause of the airspace violation and prevent future incidents.
First Piper 