This was supposed to be the first Leo launch on the vehicle. Expect additional Leo delays that may take months or additional Ariane/Atlas/Falcon launches to compensate. A good chunk of the test pad and structures are gone.
This is the risk that Delta wants to take on.
SpaceX would face similar issues if a Falcon blew up on the pad, but they've been readily eating delays and FAA paperwork whenever a 2nd stage fails in orbit or Starlink deployments fail.
Last edited by LLStarks; May 28, 2026 at 10:43 pm