SpaceX's Falcon 9 stands down from next NASA resupply mission due to propellant issue

NASA's Cargo resupply mission CRS-25, which was scheduled to launch on June 10, has been delayed indefinitely. As part of the mission, NASA has plans to send a SpaceX Dragon capsule to the International Space Station with loads of cargo and science experiments for the astronauts. The capsule will launch atop a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center, however, the agency did not disclose a new date. 

"Officials from NASA and SpaceX met today to discuss an issue identified over the weekend and the best path forward", the US space agency said in the update. 

Why was the launch delayed?

NASA explained that the delay resulted from an issue that is related to mono-methyl hydrazine (MMH), the propellant used by Dragon's Draco thrusters. During propellant loading in the capsule, the engineers found elevated readings. "Once the exact source of the elevated readings is identified and cause is determined, the joint NASA and SpaceX teams will determine and announce a new target launch date", NASA's statement read. 

NASA-SpaceX CRS-25 mission

The CRS-25 would be the 25th resupply NASA mission that will be conducted by SpaceX. The Elon Musk-owned aerospace firm has been conducting launches for NASA under a special contract that aims to promote commercial space companies for missions to the ISS. Apart from the resupply missions, SpaceX has also helped NASA transport astronauts to the space station starting in 2020. So far, the former has launched five crewed missions with the latest being the Crew-4 in late April. 

As for the CRS-25, it will take off with many exciting experiments and goods for the daily use of astronauts. Among those experiments are some of the most promising technologies such as manufacturing concrete for making bricks on the Moon, developing a system for reversing the ageing process and mapping dust rising up to the Earth's atmosphere. Tap here to read about these experiments. Meanwhile, the astronauts of the Expedition 67 crew currently aboard the ISS are preparing for the Dragon's arrival as they practiced their roles of monitoring the capsule's automated arrival and docking.