Four astronauts will have to wait at least one more day to arrive at the International Space Station on Wednesday night. This otherwise routine rotation of crew on the space station is garnering extra attention because it will at last allow the return to Earth of Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, two NASA astronauts whose brief scheduled visit to the space station last June was unexpectedly stretched to more than nine months. The scrub of the flight, which occurred less than 45 minutes before the scheduled liftoff, means Mr. Wilmore and Ms. Williams’ stay in orbit will also be extended at least one more day. During the countdown, SpaceX encountered a hydraulic issue with a clamp arm that holds onto the Falcon 9 rocket before it launches. If the issue can be fixed quickly, SpaceX could try again on Thursday. There is another launch opportunity on Friday.
Source link
