posted 09-18-2022 11:15 AM               

Space Cover 668: Postponed launches

In these days, with Artemis 1 mission still pending to flight, unfortunately we have heard several times some the sentences as "scrubbed launch," "postponed launch," "delayed launch."

Please, click SCOTW 451 to see some scrubbed launches.

Meanwhile NASA is checking SLS rocket and fixing the issues that motivated the postponed launch, I am wondering how many times space launches have been postponed and scheduled for a later date.

For sure, there were many postponed launches, especially if manned missions, where safe is the most important, but I wanted to find the earliest cover with reference to a postponed launch.

Above an Astro cover cancelled at Eglin AFB, FL on Oct 1, 1962 for the postponed launch of Walter Schirra spaceflight, what happened on Oct 3, 1962.

Anyone has in their collections an earliest cover with the reference to a postponed launch? If so, be so nice to share it with others. Thanks.

posted 09-18-2022 12:28 PM               

I don’t have an earlier cover specifically mentioning a scrub. The closest I have is this cover, that just happened to be postmarked on one of John Glenn’s weather-scrub dates (February 14, 1962) at PAFB. The cover was actually created for an Atlas launch a couple days earlier.

posted 09-19-2022 03:29 PM               

Actually your cover is more interesting than mine because the real history is behind it and comes to light only thanks to your deep knowledge for the history of MA-6 Glenn space mission.

I remember your article in Astrophile about scrubbed Glenn launch dates with the help of our common friend Steve Durst.

Finally, let me add this postcard also referred to John Glenn dates before his first launch in Feb 20, 1962.

Below a postcard postmarked Feb 3, 1962 from USS Robert A. Owens. The text speaks for itself.