NASA delays Crew Dragon undocking from ISS to no earlier than 7 October
Version 2: Interfax adds NASA’s expected 8 October splashdown if the undocking takes place on Wednesday, a scheduled handover of ISS command from Jessica Meir to Russian cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov, Friday’s arrival of the replacement Crew-13 mission and a total of 11 people now aboard the station.
In short
NASA and SpaceX have postponed the undocking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft of the Crew-12 mission from the International Space Station, TASS, iXBT and Interfax reported. The departure was originally expected on 5 October and is now set for no earlier than 7 October, with the delay attributed to weather conditions in the splashdown area off Southern California. Interfax, citing NASA, said that if the undocking goes ahead on Wednesday the splashdown is expected on 8 October.
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NASA and SpaceX have postponed the undocking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft of the Crew-12 mission from the International Space Station. The departure had been planned for 5 October and is now expected no earlier than 7 October, according to TASS, iXBT and Interfax. iXBT and Interfax said the decision followed weather conditions in the splashdown area off the coast of Southern California. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Under the updated schedule, iXBT reported, the spacecraft is to undock no earlier than 01:05 US East Coast time on 7 October, or 08:05 Moscow time, and after leaving orbit is to end its flight with a splashdown in the designated area off California. Interfax, citing NASA, said that if the undocking takes place on Wednesday, the splashdown is expected on 8 October in the Pacific off the coast of Southern California. [ 2 , 3 ]
The Crew-12 crew includes Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot, iXBT and Interfax reported. iXBT said the crew has been aboard the station since mid-February; Interfax said the four have been on the ISS for more than 7.5 months. [ 2 , 3 ]
Interfax, citing NASA, reported that Jessica Meir will hand over command of the orbital laboratory to Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov at an official ceremony aboard the station on Sunday. [ 3 ]
The replacement Crew-13 mission arrived at the station on Friday, Interfax reported. Its members are Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergei Teteriatnikov, NASA astronauts Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Joshua Kutrik. With the Soyuz MS-29 crew of Roscosmos cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina and NASA astronaut Anil Menon also aboard, 11 people are currently working on the station, according to the same report. [ 3 ]
TASS reported the postponement in a shorter account, noting that the undocking had originally been expected on 5 October and highlighting cosmonaut Fedyaev, without stating a reason for the change. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
The change keeps the four Crew-12 members, including Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, aboard the station several days longer than planned and shifts the return to the Pacific off Southern California. It also overlaps with a handover of ISS command to a Russian cosmonaut and with the arrival of the replacement Crew-13 mission, leaving 11 people on the station.
Key facts
- NASA and SpaceX postponed the undocking of the Crew Dragon spacecraft of the Crew-12 mission from the ISS. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The undocking had been planned for 5 October and is now set for no earlier than 7 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The delay was attributed to weather conditions in the splashdown area off the coast of Southern California. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Under the updated schedule, undocking is set for no earlier than 01:05 US East Coast time on 7 October, or 08:05 Moscow time. [ 2 ]
- Interfax, citing NASA, said that if the undocking takes place on Wednesday, the splashdown is expected on 8 October in the Pacific off Southern California. [ 3 ]
- The Crew-12 crew includes Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway and European Space Agency astronaut Sophie Adenot. [ 2 , 3 ]
- NASA said Jessica Meir will hand over command of the station to Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov at a ceremony on Sunday. [ 3 ]
- The replacement Crew-13 mission arrived at the station on Friday, bringing the total number of people aboard to 11. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Crew Dragon undocking from the ISS was moved from 5 October to no earlier than 7 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The delay was attributed to weather conditions in the splashdown area off the coast of Southern California. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The Crew-12 crew includes Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrei Fedyaev, NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Jack Hathaway and ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether 7 October is a fixed undocking date. TASS, iXBT and Interfax all describe the new date as “no earlier than” 7 October rather than confirmed.
- The expected splashdown date of 8 October. Stated only by Interfax, which attributes it to NASA and makes it conditional on the undocking taking place on Wednesday.
- The command handover ceremony, the arrival of Crew-13 and the total of 11 people aboard the station. These details appear only in Interfax’s report and are not carried by the other outlets.
- The precise weather conditions behind the delay. iXBT and Interfax cite weather in the splashdown area, but the documents do not describe the conditions themselves.
- NASA said Jessica Meir will hand over station command to Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov on Sunday. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- The replacement Crew-13 mission arrives at the ISS, Interfax reports. [ 3 ]
- TASS reports that NASA moved the Crew Dragon undocking from the ISS to 7 October, from an originally expected 5 October. [ 1 ]
- iXBT reports the delay, citing weather conditions and the situation in the splashdown area off California, and gives the updated schedule. [ 2 ]
- Jessica Meir is to hand over command of the ISS to Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov at a ceremony aboard the station, NASA said, according to Interfax. [ 3 ]
- Interfax reports the delay of two days and says the splashdown is expected on 8 October if the undocking takes place on Wednesday. [ 3 ]
- Earliest scheduled undocking of Crew Dragon from the ISS, per the updated schedule (01:05 US East Coast time). [ 2 ]
- Splashdown expected in the Pacific off Southern California if the undocking takes place on Wednesday, per NASA, Interfax reports. [ 3 ]