Coast Guard investigating after SpaceX scraps launch due to cruise ship in hazard area

The U.S. Coast Guard this week opened an investigation into a scrapped SpaceX launch after a Royal Caribbean cruise ship sailed too close to the spacecraft’s hazard zone.

An operator was forced to abort the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket mission on Sunday evening nearly 30 seconds before its launch after Royal Caribbean cruise ship Harmony of the Seas approached the rocket’s exclusion zone, according to Florida Today. 

“We can confirm the cruise ship was Harmony of the Seas,” Coast Guard spokesman David Micallef told the news outlet in a statement. “The Coast Guard is actively investigating Sunday’s cruise ship incursion and postponement of the SpaceX launch.”

“Our primary concern is the safety of mariners at sea, and we will continue to work with our federal, state and local port partners to ensure safe and navigable waterways,” he reportedly added.

Port Canaveral Chief Executive Officer John Murray told Florida Today that Sunday’s mishap “was an isolated incident that happened outside of our control.”

Royal Caribbean did not respond to Florida Today’s request for comment. The company website reports that the Harmony of the Seas cruise liner is 1,188 feet long, 215.5 feet wide and can host more than 6,600 guests across 18 decks.

Engineers working on the launch reportedly waited as long as they could for the situation to be resolved, but eventually time ran out to meet the instantaneous window’s deadline. The launch was forced to a 24-hour turnaround and ultimately launched successfully on Monday at 6:11 p.m., according to Florida Today.