Space X sets Saturday launch date for Space Force satellites after second delay

© Joe Marino/UPI SpaceX has delayed the launch of a Falcon 9, like the one shown here preparing to carry Starlink satellites on March 29, for the second time in two days. The new launch is scheduled for Saturday. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI

March 31 (UPI) -- SpaceX on Friday delayed the first launch of its Space Force Tranche 0 satellites for the second time in as many days.

The company tweeted that it was now targeting a launch from California's Vandenberg Spae Force Base on Saturday "to allow more time for vehicle preparations."

The launch had previously been scheduled for Thursday morning but had an auto abort just before the countdown reached T-0.

The mission will carry two Tracking layer satellites for SpaceX and eight Transport layer satellites for York Space systems, to low-earth orbit at approximately 621 miles above the Earth.

The booster stage that will ferry the satellites into orbit is scheduled to separate from the rest of the launch system shortly after liftoff and return to Earth at Vandenberg's Landing Zone 4.

The second stage will de-orbit a few hours after launch and return to earth off the coast of South Africa.

The two Tracking layer satellites are designed to track missiles on Earth as part of the Space Force's Space Development Agency's Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture project.

In 2020, SpaceX was awarded a $150 million contract to launch 28 sattelites for the PWSA project, which seeks to create a low-Earth orbit constellation of satellites to provide communications and missile tracking capabilities for the Department of Defense.

The booster stage being used for the mission was previously used to launch the Starlink 2-4 mission.