CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX has postponed its mission to the International Space Station (ISS) due to an issue at the launch pad. The flight was intended to relieve two NASA astronauts currently at the station.
The replacement crew needs to reach the ISS before Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams can return to Earth after a nine-month stay in orbit.
Concerns arose regarding a crucial hydraulic system less than four hours before the scheduled evening launch of the Falcon rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Engineers assessed the hydraulics responsible for releasing one of two arms securing the rocket to its support structure as the countdown progressed. This structure must retract immediately before launch.
The four astronauts, already secured in their capsule, awaited a final decision that was delivered with less than an hour left in the countdown. SpaceX called off the launch for the day, and officials later indicated that the launch is postponed until at least Friday.
Upon arrival at the space station, the U.S., Japanese, and Russian crew members will take the place of Wilmore and Williams, who have been in orbit since June. Their stay was extended because Boeing’s Starliner capsule experienced significant malfunctions during its initial crewed flight.
The Starliner’s first crewed mission was originally planned to last only a week. However, NASA directed the capsule to return without a crew and reassigned Wilmore and Williams to SpaceX for their return trip.