Today was supposed to mark the launch of another SpaceX low-orbit-bound mission from Cape Canaveral to space to resupply the ISS (International Space Station). Dubbed CRS-17, Elon Musk’s spacecraft was set to take two tonnes of supplies and other items including the new Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3, an experiment to generate algae for human consumption on board and a new multi-experiment microgravity platform called Hermes. The Falcon 9 rocket was due to launch at 8.11am, with its Dragon capsule being deployed 10 minutes later but this has since been postponed.
The reusable Falcon 9 will return to Earth after it launches tomorrow, where it will land on SpaceX’s drone ship somewhere in the Pacific Ocean while Dragon will cruise towards the ISS for two days.
Elon Musk will be crossing his fingers, hoping everything goes to plan and history does not repeat itself.
On June 28, 2015, the space agency tested its Falcon 9 rocket, which was supposed to operate three minutes after launch.
However, 139 seconds into the flight, viewers of the live stream – courtesy of NASA – were left shocked as the rocket disintegrated.
Elon Musk said something ruptured the rocket’s liquid oxygen tank, causing the explosion.
He tweeted on June 28, 2015: “There was an overpressure event in the upper stage liquid oxygen tank.
“Data suggests a counterintuitive cause.”
It was the ninth flight for SpaceX‘s uncrewed Dragon cargo spacecraft and the seventh SpaceX operational mission contracted to NASA under a Commercial Resupply Services contract.
An independent investigation by NASA concluded that the most probable cause of the strut failure was a design error.
Instead of using a stainless steel eyebolt made of aerospace-grade material, SpaceX chose an industrial-grade material without adequate screening and testing and overlooked the recommended safety margin.
However, there have been nine SpaceX re-supply missions to the ISS since then and countless other tests, with no further issues appearing during liftoff.
This week’s launch comes after SpaceX issued a statement regarding the explosion of a Crew Dragon capsule during testing.
The cause of the “anomaly” is yet to be determined, but it occurred on a completely different platform than the now proven and reliable Falcon 9/Cargo Dragon combination that has flown dozens of commercial missions.
Elon Musk’s team cancelled today’s launch, though, announcing it has been postponed until Saturday.
Air Force launch weather officer Will Ulrich revealed earlier this week: “We’ve been monitoring an area of disturbed weather over the Bahamas for the past few days, and that area of disturbed weather is encroaching upon the Space Coast.”
A SpaceX statement posted on Twitter reads: “Standing down today due to an electrical issue on the Of Course I Still Love You droneship.
“Teams will also address the ground side helium leak before tomorrow’s backup launch opportunity.”