CAPE CANAVERAL, FLA. —
Excessive wind off the Florida coast has prompted SpaceX to delay the return of 4 house station astronauts in orbit since spring.
The U.S., French and Japanese astronauts have been supposed to depart the Worldwide Area Station on Sunday, with their capsule splashing down within the Gulf of Mexico on Monday morning.
However with gusts exceeding security limits, SpaceX bumped the departure to Monday afternoon, with a nighttime return to conclude their six-month mission.
The excellent news is that their journey house will now final eight hours, lower than half so long as earlier than. The bathroom of their capsule is damaged, and so the 4 might want to depend on diapers whereas flying house.
SpaceX nonetheless is aiming for a Wednesday night time launch, on the earliest, of their replacements.
This flight additionally has been delayed by unhealthy climate, in addition to an astronaut’s undisclosed medical subject. The problem, described as minor, must be resolved by launch time, officers stated.
Final week, SpaceX and NASA flipped the order of the launch and touchdown due to the deteriorating climate and the looming deadline to get the capsule again from the house station.
SpaceX capsules are licensed for a most 210 days in orbit, and the one up there now could be approaching 200 days.
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The Related Press Well being and Science Division receives assist from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Division of Science Schooling. The AP is solely liable for all content material.
