Thomson Reuters
A video still of the Sept. 1, 2016 launchpad explosion of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
The announcement, made via the company's website on Wednesday, comes less than a week after SpaceX's CEO Glenn Shotwell said Falcon 9 rockets would resume launching $4.
The pending launch - of $4 Iridium Communications satellites - would be the first since a Falcon 9 rocket $4 during a routine launchpad test in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
While the Sept. 1 accident didn't hurt anyone, it did destroy a communications satellite that $4 to provide web access to Africa. It also rattled some NASA officials, who plan to use the rockets to launch astronauts into space. (Until then, the agency will have to $4 for rocket launches - one of which $4.)
SpaceX, which is owned by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk, has been $4 ever since, and suggested in its press release that it will not return to flight until that investigation is complete.
Musk has called the fireball "$4" in his company's history, and has released some details about the possible cause via Twitter.
The company provided the following $4 on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. ET:
"We are finalizing the investigation into our September 1 anomaly and are working to complete the final steps necessary to safely and reliably return to flight, now in early January with the launch of Iridium-1. This allows for additional time to close-out vehicle preparations and complete extended testing to help ensure the highest possible level of mission assurance prior to launch."
SpaceX has not yet released its full report about the accident.