A failure of the launch ramp forced Spacex To postpone a flight to the International Space Station (ISS) which was supposed to recover two NASA astronauts which were stuck in orbit for nine months.
The Falcon 9 rocket had four crew members on board when he had to interrupt the takeoff of Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida on Wednesday.
According to NasaThe ground staff raised concerns concerning violent winds, the rain and the functionality of a critical hydraulic system less than four hours before the expected takeoff.
The commander of the NASA astronauts, Anne McClain, Pilot Nichole Ayers, alongside the mission specialists, Jaxa (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) Astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos Cosmonaut Kirill Peskov leaves the operations of Neil A. Armstrong and the Nasa Kennedy Caisse before launch on March 12, 2025 CAPE CANAVER, Flora.
Brandon Bell / Getty images
The engineers evaluated the hydraulics used to release one of the two arms tightening the rocket to its support structure. This structure must turn back just before takeoff.
The crew on board, which was already completing in their flight capsule when the problem was identified, must arrive at the ISS before Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams can go home after almost a year in space.
The NASA Boeing team, the commander of the Butch Wilmore flight (L) and the Suni Williams driver, left the construction of operations and payment on May 6, 2024 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Joe Raedle / Getty images
The final decision to cancel the flight came with an hour in the countdown. Later, officials confirmed that the launch would be delayed at least on Friday.
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Wilmore and Williams were sent on a week’s mission to the international space station last June, but could not return to earth when their Boeing Starliner Capsule has undergone a series of dysfunctions. In August, NASA judged the spacecraft dangerous for travelLeaving the pair to get comfortable at the ISS while SpaceX has prepared a rescue mission.
However, SpaceX delayed the launch of its crew dragon space vessel because it needed additional preparations.
Consequently, NASA has chosen to send an older capsule, which was to be launched Wednesday with the astronauts of NASA Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos Cosmonaut Kirill Peskov on board.
Friday, the NASA CREW-10 SpaceX should start its trip to the ISS at 7:03 p.m. East time.
Williams and Wilmore, as well as Roscosmos Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, will leave the space station at the earliest on Wednesday, March 19 on the same ship.
– with Reuters and Associated Press files
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