CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The Halloween flight for SpaceX has been delayed due to weather goblins.
SpaceX and NASA announced that the next launch of four astronauts to the International Space Station was postponed because of unfavorable weather conditions along the spacecraft’s flight path, Space.com reported.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket were scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral early Sunday, but the mission has been delayed until Wednesday at 1:10 a.m. EDT, The New York Times reported.
Launch Update ➡️ @NASA's @SpaceX #Crew3 mission is now targeted for Wednesday, Nov. 3 at 1:10am ET due to a large storm system elevating winds and waves in the Atlantic Ocean along the Crew Dragon flight path for the Oct. 31 launch attempt. Learn more: https://t.co/WdCdLAKnd4 pic.twitter.com/Z2u0nFRmC6
— NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) October 30, 2021
Although the weather at the Kennedy Space Center was nearly perfect, high winds and rough seas caused by a large storm in the Northeast prompted the delay, The Associated Press reported.
NASA said in a blog post that wind and waves in that corridor were not safe enough for the trip to occur on time.
Officials said weather conditions along the flight path are monitored in case Crew Dragon needs to trigger its emergency abort system, the Times reported. The capsule would have to land under good weather conditions along the corridor if the mission was ended prematurely, the newspaper reported.
This will be SpaceX’s fourth astronaut flight for NASA in 1 1/2 years, and the company’s fifth passenger flight overall, according to the AP.
You can watch the launch live here and on the Space.com homepage, courtesy of NASA. Or, view the launch directly from the space agency. Coverage begins at 8:45 p.m. EDT Tuesday, according to Space.com.
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