
NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — Bad weather postponed what was supposed to be the first launch of two astronauts from U.S. soil in nearly a decade.
The history-making flight was called off with 16 minutes to go in the countdown because of the danger of lightning.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk told CBS News the thought of his spacecraft carrying humans weighs heavily on him.
"It weighs very heavily, it's really all I can think about right now, so I really kind of have to kind of mentally block it because otherwise it would emotionally impossible to deal with," Musk said, adding that they're being extra cautious. "Anything anyone can think of to improve the probability of success make sure Bob and Doug are safely taken to the space station, that is the absolute priority — in fact it is not simply the top priority, it is the only priority."
"Up until now it has been governments that have sent people to space. With the upcoming launch, it will be a private company sending people to space, kind of like the first commercial airplane ride, I think it's going to change the future, the way we do business in space, it's going to open all kinds of opportunities for exploration and commercial advancement in space," he said. "I think this will be looked upon as the clear point in history where all that changed and I think there's going to be a before and there's going to be an after, and I'm looking forward to the after because that's the future."
President Donald Trump flew to Cape Canaveral to attend the now scrubbed launch.
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