SpaceX postpones crew launch to ISS due to weather

The planned mission to transport three American astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut to the International Space Station had to be postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The launch, which was set to be carried out by SpaceX, was rescheduled for Sunday at 10:53 p.m.

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Endeavour, was supposed to transport the four astronauts using a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

The delay was attributed to high winds, as mentioned in SpaceX's social media update just before the scheduled launch on Saturday night. 

This delay marks another setback for the mission, which was originally planned for Feb. 22. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, has been responsible for NASA's astronaut launch operations since 2020 through the Commercial Crew Program, while Boeing's similar program is still pending. 

The Crew-8 mission, headed by Matthew Dominick and including first-time space travelers Jeanette Epps and Alexander Grebenkin, will also feature veteran astronaut Michael Barratt, who is embarking on his third trip to the ISS.

The collaboration in space exploration between the U.S. and Russia continues despite tensions following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. 

The crew's research objectives include experiments utilizing stem cells to generate organoids for studying degenerative diseases in the unique microgravity environment of space.

NASA's International Space Station program manager, Joel Montalbano, mentioned a minor leak on the Russian segment of the station, which is being isolated by closing a hatch to prevent any further issues. 

Source: AFP