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NASA and SpaceX Delay Crew‑13 Launch After Dragon Oxidizer Leak

Engineers are conducting focused tests and repairs to locate the leak and will clear the spacecraft for crewed flight before setting a new launch date.

Overview

  • NASA and SpaceX postponed the Crew‑13 mission after routine prelaunch processing detected an oxidizer leak in the Dragon spacecraft’s propulsion system.
  • Joint engineering teams are reviewing telemetry and hardware data and performing additional tests to determine what repairs or rework are required before the vehicle can be cleared to fly.
  • No revised launch date has been announced; agency officials say a new target will be set only after testing, any repairs, and formal human‑flight safety verification are complete.
  • The four‑member crew — commander Jessica Watkins, pilot Luke Delaney, Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov — remain assigned to the mission and to join Expedition 75, with quarantine and prelaunch plans to be adjusted as needed.
  • The delay underscores Dragon’s central role in U.S. crew transport and the strict human‑rating checks that require fixing propulsion integrity issues to protect in‑flight safety and abort capability.