SpaceX is scheduled to attempt a Falcon 9 launch carrying 21 United States military Space Development Agency data satellites early Saturday.

The prior attempt on Monday October 5 was halted by an automatic abort at T minus 58 seconds, moments after onboard computers assumed control of the countdown. SpaceX has confirmed the rocket and payload remain in good health, with teams resetting for the new window.

On October 9, NASA deployed the KREPE-3 heat shield experiment aboard the Northrop Grumman 24th Cygnus cargo mission prior to the craft's undocking from the International Space Station.

The Cygnus XL was released from the station's Canadarm2 robotic arm at 12:44 p.m. EDT that day. It had been docked at the station for nearly six months. This is the third flight in the KREPE series, which uses departing cargo craft to test heat shield technology without dedicated launch missions.