What new piece of equipment is SpaceX adding to its launch system that is causing the delay in launch?
SpaceX, NASA Delay Crew-6 Astronaut Launch To February 27th
SpaceX and NASA have announced a delay in the Crew-6 astronaut launch to February 27th, 2021. The two organizations have been working hard to ensure safety and efficiency for this mission, which is set to launch four astronauts to the International Space Station.
Cause of Delay
The cause of the delay was due to unfavorable weather conditions at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where the launch is to take place. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to take off on February 20th, however, safety protocols have caused a one-week postponement of the mission.
About Crew-6
Crew-6 is a unique mission for two reasons. First, it will mark the first time SpaceX and NASA have launched a joint mission from the United States with both veteran and first-time astronaut crew members. Secondly, this mission will use the first of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft designed to last up to 110 days.
Crew Members
This historic mission consists of the following crew members:
- Commander Shane Kimbrough: A lieutenant colonel in the United States Army, this is Kimbrough’s second spaceflight mission.
- Pilot Megan McArthur: A veteran astronaut, this is McArthur’s second mission in space.
- Mission Specialist Vyacheslav “Slava” Goncharov: This Russian cosmonaut is making his second mission.
- Mission Specialist Akihiko Hoshide: This is Hoshide’s fourth mission into space, but his first outside the Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
- Mission Specialist Thomas Pesquet: A European Space Agency astronaut from France, this will be Pesquet’s first mission.
The Crew-6 mission promises to be an exciting and milestone event for international spaceflight cooperation. The official launch date is now scheduled for February 27th, 2021.
NASA and SpaceX have announced the postponement of the launch of Crew-6, the sixth operational crew mission for the International Space Station (ISS). The launch of Crew-6, which was originally planned for April 22, 2021, has been rescheduled for February 27, 2021 due to a number of technical and scheduling issues.
Crew-6 is set to be the second astronaut mission launched under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP) with SpaceX. The mission will see the launch of four astronauts into space aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon. The astronauts will bring supplies and experiments to the ISS, carry out research and return to Earth after a period of three months.
The postponement of the launch comes following a successful brief test run of the Crew Dragon’s engines on January 30. Despite the test being declared a success by NASA, the agency decided it was necessary to delay the launch due to further delays in the production and testing of the spacecraft.
NASA and SpaceX also had to take into consideration other factors when deciding to postpone the launch, including the availability of the crew and the busyness of the space station’s traffic. NASA and SpaceX have been working together for several years to develop a safe and reliable spacecraft for crewed space missions.
In a statement, NASA said that the postponement of the launch of Crew-6 will enable them to work on further tests of the spacecraft and provide a higher level of safety to the astronauts aboard the mission.
The flight of Crew-6 will mark an important milestone in the history of space exploration, with the international collaboration of NASA and SpaceX showing that the future of space exploration is one of cooperation and progress. With the postponement of the launch, NASA and SpaceX hope to ensure that the mission runs as smoothly and safely as possible.