Bad weather aborted a historic SpaceX mission Wednesday, forcing NASA to reschedule its first launch from U.S. soil in nine years.
President Trump had traveled down to Florida to watch the event with entrepreneur and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, though the mission was scrubbed 16 minutes before the scheduled launch.
They will try again Saturday.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said the safety of astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley had to be their “top priority.”
President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence toured NASA facilities earlier in the day and hailed the astronauts as the best America has to offer.
The president praised Mr. Musk, calling him “a friend of mine for a long time.”
He also credited Mr. Bridenstine for nurturing the project “from its infancy,” as the administration fosters dreams of returning to the moon and venturing to Mars.
“They had grass growing in the runways between the cracks. Now we have the best, the best of the best,” Mr. Trump said of the space program.
After the launch was aborted, Mr. Trump got back on Air Force One for a quick return home to Washington.
“Thank you to @NASA and @SpaceX for their hard work and leadership. Look forward to being back with you on Saturday!” he tweeted.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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