2nd NASA, SpaceX manned mission delayed until November
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - The upcoming manned mission planned for Halloween has been delayed, NASA announced over the weekend.
Kathy Lueders, the Associate Administrator of the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate at NASA, announced the delay on Saturday.
She said that they are now targeting early-to-mid November for the next manned mission. This will give SpaceX more time to resolve an unexpected observation during a recent non-NASA launch attempt.
NASA's blog clarified that the additional time will allow "SpaceX to complete hardware testing and data reviews as the company evaluates off-nominal behavior of Falcon 9 first stage engine gas generators observed during a recent non-NASA mission launch attempt. Through the agency’s Commercial Crew and Launch Services Programs partnership with SpaceX, NASA has full insight into the company’s launch and testing data."
When the launch does it happen, the SpaceX Crew-1 mission will be the first of regular rotational missions to the space station following completion of NASA certification.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-1 crew members are seen seated in the company’s Crew Dragon spacecraft during crew equipment interface training. From left to right are NASA astronauts Shannon Walker, mission specialist; Victor Glover, pilot; and Mike Hopkins, Cre
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The mission will carry Crew Dragon commander Michael Hopkins, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialist Shannon Walker, all of NASA, along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) mission specialist Soichi Noguchi for a six-month science mission aboard the orbiting laboratory following launch from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
(NASA)
The launch will be the first time an international crew will fly aboard a NASA-certified, commercially-owned-and-operated American rocket and spacecraft from American soil.
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