NASA postpones scheduled return of SpaceX Dragon cargo ship

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
18 Aug 2022 21:45

NASA flight directors have decided to postpone the undocking and return to Earth of the spaceship from the International Space Station following weather concerns at the splashdown location.

The SpaceX Dragon resupply ship (NASA)

Due to concerns about the weather in the area where the unmanned SpaceX Dragon cargo ship's splashdown location in the Atlantic Ocean on Friday, flight directors have decided to postpone the undocking and return to Earth of the spaceship from the International Space Station (ISS) by one day.

"NASA and SpaceX are postponing the Thursday, Aug. 18 undocking of a SpaceX Dragon cargo resupply spacecraft from the International Space Station due to unfavorable weather conditions, including an elevated chance of precipitation at the splashdown sites," the blog said.

As of now, mission engineers want to separate the Dragon from the ISS and begin the descent process on Friday at 11:05 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (15:05 GMT), according to NASA.

The spacecraft will perform a parachute-assisted splashdown off the coast of Florida on Saturday after entering Earth's atmosphere once more, the blog read.