The countdown is on to a rocket launch in Hawkes Bay on Thursday night.
Rocket Lab, a small satellite launch company, was due to launch the 'Don't stop me now' mission from their Launch Complex 1 at Mahia Peninsula at 5:13pm, but it was stood down due to high winds.
There are several days remaining in the launch window, so Rocket Lab are planning another launch attempt in the coming days.
The rocket will lift payloads for NASA, the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra Space.
The payloads will help to provide information for NASA's CubeSat Launch Initiative (CSLI) to conduct a "groundbreaking" scientific study into the Earth’s magnetic field.
This mission will be Rocket Lab’s 12th Electron launch and second mission in 2020.
It was originally scheduled for March 30, but was delayed due to closures from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Wairoa District Council has allocated a public viewing area for the launch near Nuhaka, accessible via Blucks Pit Road.
As it happened:
6:33pm- The launch has been stood down due to high winds. There are still several days remaining in the launch window, so they will attempt it again in the coming days.
Watch the countdown to the cancelled launch here:
6:19pm- The launch clock has been moved backward to T-13 minutes to allow the operations team to prepare. The clock is active and counting down.
6:07pm- The launch has been put on hold at T-2:49 minutes.
6:06pm- Operators are going through their final checks. The clock sits at less than 3 minutes.
6pm- The hold has been lifted. The launch clock is now at T-8 minutes.
5:50pm- The launch remains on a temporary hold.
5:20pm- The launch has been put on hold due to high winds. It currently sits on hold at T-12 minutes while they wait for it to subside.
