NASA and SpaceX have postponed the launch of the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station. The delay follows an oxidiser leak in the Dragon spacecraft’s propulsion system.
The US space agency said the two organisations are carrying out additional tests on the spacecraft. They have not announced a new launch date for the mission.
Crew-13 will carry American, Canadian and Russian astronauts to the International Space Station. The mission is part of NASA’s ongoing effort to maintain regular crew flights to the orbiting laboratory.
SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft is the company’s main vehicle for carrying astronauts and cargo into orbit. It is also the only US alternative currently available for sending crews to the ISS.
The launch delay comes as SpaceX continues to support several major NASA missions.
On Sunday, SpaceX launched a $4.3 billion NASA telescope into space. The telescope is designed to study dark matter and dark energy.
President Donald Trump praised the launch during a post-launch press conference. He called into the event to comment on the successful mission.
Trump also started the process on Friday of creating a “US space academy”. The proposed academy would support the US Space Force and civilian spaceflight through NASA.
For now, NASA and SpaceX will continue testing the Dragon spacecraft. The additional checks are aimed at addressing the leak before the Crew-13 mission can proceed.
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