News Details

• 12.00 am - 25 Sep 2024
• Mint

NASA, SpaceX delay Crew-9 mission tasked to bring back Sunita Williams - Here’s why

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which has been tasked to bring back Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from space station, was delayed on Tuesday. The mission was scheduled to launch on September 26. The Crew-9 launch was, however, shifted to September 28 "over weather concerns" related to Tropical Storm Helene.

NASA said in an update on September 24, “NASA and SpaceX teams have adjusted the next launch opportunity for NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to no earlier than 1:17 pm EDT [or 10:47 pm], Saturday, September 28, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.”

While the "instantaneous launch" is scheduled at 1:17 pm ET on September 28, there's a backup opportunity available on Sunday, September 29 at 12:54 pm ET if needed, SpaceX said.

Why was Crew-9 launch delayed?

The decision was taken "due to expected tropical storm conditions in the area". NASA said, “Although Tropical Storm Helene is moving through the Gulf of Mexico and expected to impact the Florida panhandle, the storm system is large enough that high winds and heavy rain are expected in the Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island regions on Florida’s east coast.”

The US space agency said the change allows teams to complete a rehearsal of launch day activities with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday night.