NASA and SpaceX said they are postponing the CRS-25 launch because of continuing inspections brought on by a leak.
Earlier this month, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket was scheduled to launch the company's Dragon spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) while transporting several experiments on board.
However, during a pre-launch test days before the June 10 launch, authorities claimed per Spectrum News 13 that high vapor readings of mono-methyl hydrazine were found as the propellant fuel was being put into the Dragon spacecraft.
SpaceX Delays Dragon Capsule Yet Again After A Series Of Issues
According to Space.com, the SpaceX spaceship encountered multiple difficulties and delays. NASA and SpaceX announced earlier this month that the launch would be moved to a further date.
It comes after high levels of hydrazine, the fuel for Dragon's Draco engines, were discovered when the spaceship was being fueled.
The mission was postponed, so the aberrant hydrazine vapor readings discovered within the Draco system could be studied. The launch date was initially moved to June 28 and then to July 11.
According to the most recent update from NASA, CRS-25's new launch date has been set for July 14.
It will allow the uncrewed Dragon spacecraft to reach the International Space Station (ISS) as soon as possible after an approaching time when the sun will fully illuminate the station, posing concerns with power generation and temperature issues.
It will be the 25th time that SpaceX has assisted NASA with a robotic resupply trip to the ISS, as suggested by the mission's designation, CRS-25.
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Next SpaceX CRS-25 Launch
The CRS-25 commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station will launch no sooner than July 14, according to SpaceX and NASA.
The revised anticipated launch date will permit ongoing checks of the Dragon spacecraft.
Additionally, it will enable the repair and replacement of parts that could have been harmed by exposure to the mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH) vapor, which was found during testing at the beginning of June.
The SpaceX crew decided to swap out the spacecraft's primary parachutes.
It will make it possible to inspect the parachutes more thoroughly away from the car.
"The new date also allows for the launch of the uncrewed cargo mission for the earliest possible rendezvous opportunity with the International Space Station following the upcoming high-beta angle period when the sun angle with space station's orbital plane causes problems with thermal and power generation at the microgravity laboratory in the planned docking attitude for visiting spacecraft," one of the latest NASA reports stated.
For both NASA and SpaceX, the SpaceX CRS-25 resupply mission will be a turning point, considering that NASA has hired SpaceX to deploy a robotic resupply vehicle to the ISS 25 times.
The Dragon spacecraft will be on its third space voyage. It has already successfully performed two resupply flights to the orbiting lab, first in December 2020 and once in August 2021.
The CRS-25 will take out from Florida's NASA Kennedy Space Center and travel to the orbiting lab using a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and a Falcon 9 rocket.
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