Raja Chari-Led SpaceX Crew-3 Mission To Lift Off On Nov 6 Now, NASA Says Delay Due To A ‘Minor’ Medical Issue

NASA has not revealed which of the 4 crewmembers is facing the medical issue, but clarified that it is not a medical emergency and not related to Covid-19.

SpaceX Crew-3 astronauts (from left) Matthias Maurer, Thomas Marshburn, Raja Chari and Kayla Barron | Photo: Twitter/@NASA

NASA's SpaceX Crew-3 mission has been delayed until Saturday, November 6, due to a "minor medical issue" faced by a crewmember, the space agency said in a statement.

The Crew-3 mission was scheduled for launch on Wednesday, November 3, from NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida. The mission was originally scheduled for launch on October 31, but was scrubbed due to "bad weather". 

Now, the mission will launch no earlier than 11:36 pm EDT on Saturday, November 6 (9:06 am IST on Sunday, November 7).NASA did not reveal which crewmember is facing the medical issue. The space agency, however, clarified the issue is not a medical emergency and is not related to Covid-19.

NASA officials wrote in a mission update, "The issue is not a medical emergency and not related to Covid-19".

The Crew-3 Mission

 

NASA astronauts Raja Chari, Kayla Barron and Thomas Marshburn, and European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer are the Crew-3 members who will blast off to the International Space Station for a six-month science mission. They will be staying aboard the orbital laboratory until late April 2022.

Raja Chari will serve as the mission commander; Tom Marshburn will be the pilot, and Kayla Barron and Matthias Maurer will serve as mission specialists. 

 

They will be launched into space in a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket.

 

NASA officials wrote in a mission update that the Crew-3 astronauts remain in quarantine at KSC. 

 

The Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 are in good shape and will remain at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy, mentions the update.

 

The Crew-3 mission is the third crew rotation mission with astronauts on the Crew Dragon spacecraft. Crew-2, the second crew rotation mission, was launched to the ISS in April.

 

NASA is still evaluating dates for the return of the Crew-2 astronauts. Crew-2 comprises NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Akihiko Hoshide, and European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet.