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NASA and SpaceX have postponed the planned launch of a new Dragon freighter this week due to a feeding system problem at the International Space Station, officials said. the agency this Wednesday, May 1st.
SpaceX will now aim to launch the Dragon Replenishment mission at the top of a Falcon 9 rocket no earlier than Friday, May 3, a two-day delay, NASA officials said.
The launch delay came at the request of NASA, while engineers on Earth were tackling a power problem on the station that had started Monday, April 29, when a problem arose with one of the main bus switching units of the station. The device distributes electricity for two of the station 's eight power channels.
"There is no immediate concern for the crew or the station," NASA officials said in a statement (April 30). "The teams are working on a plan to robotically replace the failed unit and restore the electrical system to the station."
Related: How SpaceX Dragon Space Capsule Works (Infographic)
The issue of energy is not a concern for the six astronauts who currently live and work on the space stationBut this affected the Canadarm2 robotic arm of the outpost, NASA officials said.
NASA spokesman Dan Huot told Space.com on Monday that the power problem was affecting one of the two robotic arm power systems, leaving him without a backup. The Canadarm2 robotic arm is essential to SpaceX's Dragon mission, since astronauts will use this appendix to capture Dragon when it comes to the lab in orbit. The arm is also used to tie Dragon to the station.
. @ NASA asked @SpaceX to leave May 1st at the earliest on May 3rd for the launch of its #Dragon cargo mission at the station. https://t.co/inTfUoHT30 pic.twitter.com/3m3lchffdXApril 30, 2019
Two astronauts worked on feeding the robotic arm during a out in space earlier this month, but this work focused on starter cables along the arm. The current problem, instead, is with the station equivalent to a circuit breaker.
"The flight controllers have been working to deliver electricity through the remaining six power channels," NASA officials said. statement made public yesterday.
The start has already been touched by two delays, which pushed the launch from 26 to 30 April first because of "constraints related to the mechanics of stations and orbital", then to 1 May. The rocket will take off from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Base in Florida.
At launch, the capsule will travel quietly to the space station for three days, during which time the astronauts will unpack more than 5,550 pounds. (2,495 kilograms) of transported supplies. This includes fresh supplies and new scientific experiments.
The mission, called CRS-17, will be SpaceX's 17th SpaceX freight delivery flight for NASA under a resupply contract.
Space.com editor Tariq Malik contributed to this report.
Email Meghan Bartels to [email protected] or follow her @meghanbartels. follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.
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