A problem at the launch pad caused SpaceX to postpone a flight to the International Space Station on Wednesday in order to replace NASA’s two stranded astronauts. The new crew must reach the space station before Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams can return home following nine months in space.
Concerns arose about a critical hydraulic system just hours before the Falcon rocket was scheduled to launch from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Engineers assessed the hydraulics responsible for releasing one of the rocket’s clamping arms, necessary for the rocket to tilt back before liftoff. With the countdown ticking down, the four astronauts were already in their capsule awaiting a final decision. SpaceX ultimately decided to cancel the launch for the day, with officials indicating a delay until at least Friday.
Upon reaching the space station, the U.S., Japanese, and Russian crew will take over from Wilmore and Williams, who have been on the station since June. Following major issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule during transit, the two test pilots had to extend their stay on the space station. Originally, Starliner’s inaugural crew flight was planned for a week, but NASA ordered the capsule to return empty and reassigned Wilmore and Williams to SpaceX for the return trip.
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