NASA and SpaceX are standing down from the Falcon 9 launch of the CRS-25 cargo mission to the International Space Station. SpaceX’s 25th commercial resupply services mission is supposed to carry NASA’s Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) and other important scientific cargo. Officials from NASA and SpaceX met yesterday to discuss in issue identified over the weekend and what would be the best path forward.
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft was supposed to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at the space agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10.22 AM EDT (7.52 PM IST) on June 10. The mission is supposed to deliver new science investigations, supplies and equipment for the international crew, including a new climate research investigation.
EMIT will identify the composition of mineral dust from Earth’s arid regions and analyse dust carried through the atmosphere from deserts to see what effects it has on the planet as part of NASA’s data contributions to monitoring climate change.
During propellant loading of the Dragon spacecraft ahead of launch, elevated vapour readings of mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH) were measured in an isolated region of the Draco thruster propulsion system. MMH is used as a propellant in bipropellant rocket engines. After detecting the elevated readings, the propellant and oxidiser were offloaded from that region of the thruster to support further inspections and testing.
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PremiumThe joint NASA and SpaceX teams will only determine and announce a new target launch date after identifying the elevated readings’ exact source and determining the cause.
Meanwhile, flight Engineers Jessica Watkins (NASA) and Samantha Cristoforetti (European Space Agency), who are on the ISS, will be getting up to speed with the Dragon cargo craft’s rendezvous and docking procedures. Both of them trained on a computer on Monday to prepare for their roles as they monitor Dragon’s automated arrival and docking.
