Monday Launch Attempt Scrubbed Due To Helium Leak

The International Space Station Program and SpaceX have selected Friday, April 18 for the next launch attempt for the Falcon 9 rocket to send the Dragon cargo craft on the company's third commercial resupply mission to the space station. Launch is scheduled for 1525 EDT.

SpaceX’s launch to the International Space Station was scrubbed Monday due to a helium leak on the Falcon 9 first stage.

A launch on Friday results in a rendezvous with the space station on Sunday, April 20 and a grapple at 0715 EDT. The U.S. Air Force 45th Weather Squadron forecast predicts a 40 percent chance of favorable weather, with a chance of showers and thunderstorms that could result in violating the Thick Cloud, Lightning and Flight Through Precipitation rules.

SpaceX has settled on a backup launch date of Saturday, April 19 for the best pair of launch dates for the science payloads being delivered to the station. If needed, a Saturday launch would occur at 3:02 p.m. NASA TV coverage would begin at 2 p.m. This would be a three-day transit to the station instead of two days with grapple on Tuesday, April 22.

If SpaceX launches Friday, a contingency spacewalk to replace a failed multiplexer-demultiplexer will be conducted on Wednesday, April 23. If SpaceX scrubs Friday and attempts to launch Saturday, the contingency spacewalk moves earlier to Sunday, April 20.

(Image provided by NASA)

FMI: www.nasa.gov, www.spacex.com