Overview
- Engineers discovered an oxidizer leak in the Dragon spacecraft during routine prelaunch processing, prompting the mission’s postponement while teams diagnose the problem.
- The previously planned Sept. 12 liftoff will not proceed as scheduled while SpaceX and NASA run additional tests, review telemetry and complete any required repairs.
- An oxidizer is the chemical that allows a spacecraft’s thrusters to burn propellant for maneuvering, so a leak affects Dragon’s ability to control and dock safely with the ISS.
- Crew-13’s four astronauts — commander Jessica Watkins, pilot Luke Delaney, Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov — remain assigned and the mission’s roughly seven-month science, maintenance and EVA plan is unchanged.
- The delay could shift SpaceX and NASA launch manifesting because the company is also supporting recent Falcon missions and upcoming Starship testing, and officials will announce a new target date once the vehicle is certified safe.