Published 03:45 IST, May 28th 2020
NASA-SpaceX's Crew Dragon 'offloaded', US astronauts prepare to exit
Just 16 minutes before the countdown for the ‘historic’ NASA-SpaceX Dragon Crew launch was scheduled the begin, the mission was called off due to bad weather.
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Just 16 minutes before countdown for ‘historic’ NASA-X Dragon Crew launch was scheduled to begin, mission was called off due to unfavourable wear conditions and "danger of lightning". liftoff has been rescheduled for “next opportunity” on May 30 at 3:22 pm EDT. As of w, NASA informed that craft has been "offloed” and entire launch system is “disarmed” while both US astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken are preparing to exit from capsule.
wear conditions h started sounding an alarm hours before scheduled takeoff at 4:33 pm ET on May 27. Neverless, Hurley and Behnken h buckled up in Dragon Crew capsule on top of 230-foot X Falcon 9 rocket for ‘#LaunchAmerica’ mission. NASA also elaborated that even though millions were hoping to witness giant leap of ‘revolutionising’ commercial travel on May 27, launch window was “instantaneous”.
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From Twitter to YouTube, event was being live-streamed on all social media platforms with people rey to "usher in new era since 2011". It was even viewed by US President Donald Trump and his Vice President Mike Pence. However, mission has w been delayed due to “orbital mechanics” and ar attempt to launch astronauts to aboard X's Crew Dragon capsule as part of Demo-2 test flight to International Station will be me on Saturday.
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First crewed mission from US since 2011
With this mission, NASA would launch its first crewed mission from US soil in almost 10 years (since 2011). This is also first time that it h allowed a private company like Elon Musk's X, to run entire show but wear conditions delayed plans.
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X CEO Elon Musk who was re at launch site, h hailed accomplishment as his “dream come true” before it was aborted. two NASA astronauts were seen smiling, waving and giving thumbs up as y debuted in X suit and buckled up in commercially built capsule.
NASA ministrator Jim Bridenstine h lauded entire mission as a “herculean task” and called it a “monumental achievement”. It was also revealed that designing of X Dragon capsule was started from scratch at least 12 years ago to travel to Station.
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Bridenstine h said that NASA let “commercial industry invate” and that led to solutions that were ‘undreamed of before’. According to NASA ministrator, that aspect remains ‘real success’ of #LaunchAmerica.
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03:22 IST, May 28th 2020