Falcon 9

SpaceX officials said the final processing of Air Force range safety documentation has been held up as a result of delays in the launch of a Delta IV rocket with a military navigation satellite.

Originally slated to launch May 20, the Delta IV blasted off late Thursday.

SpaceX and subcontractor Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Co. of Simsbury, Conn., have been working with the Air Force to certify the Falcon 9's flight termination system for flight.

The system is made up of a series of small explosives that could be used to deliberately destroy the rocket if it careened out of control and threatened cities and towns surrounding Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.

Once the final approvals are given and related documentation is completed, the California-based company will be cleared to launch the Falcon 9 from Launch Complex 40 at the Air Force base.

SpaceX holds a $1.6 billion NASA contract to launch 15 Falcon 9 flights -- three test flights and 12 missions to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. Contract options could increase the value of the deal to $3.1 billion.

The company also holds contracts to launch commercial payloads for customers in Argentina, Canada, Europe, Israel and the U.S.

In addition, SpaceX will be a contender for future NASA contracts to launch U.S. astronauts on round trips to the space station.

President Barack Obama in his proposed 2011 budget is directing NASA to cancel its moon program, dubbed Project Constellation, and instead invest in the development of commercial space taxis to fly astronauts to and from the station.