SpaceX planned to launch a Dragon space capsule to the International Space Station at 4:58 pm. EDT on April 14. That mission was delayed after engineers discovered a helium leak in the first stage of the Falcon-9 booster rocket.
The resupply mission will bring almost 5,000 pounds of supplies and machinery to the International Space Station.
"The next launch opportunity would be Friday, April 18 at 3:25 p.m. EDT if the issue can be resolved," NASA officials wrote in a press release explaining the launch delay.
Among the cargo arriving at the station is a pair of legs for a humanoid robot aboard the station. Robonaut 2 is designed to perform regular tasks for the crew aboard the space outpost. Together, the legs will stretch nine feet from one "foot" to the other. Each of the legs has seven joints. This will allow the Robonaut to perform a wide variety of tasks both inside and outside the space habitat.
OPALS, an experimental laser communications system, will also be brought to the ISS aboard the Dragon spacecraft. This device could make communications between spacecraft and ground controllers 10 to 100 times faster than possible today.
Science Cheerleader is another experiment due to arrive on the ISS. Microbes were collected from historical places by NFL cheerleaders and players. The experiment will study how microbes react to micro-gravity conditions.
The PhoneSat 2.5, a smartphone converted into an inexpensive satellite, will test how susceptible simple commercial electronics are to conditions in space. When people begin traveling to space aboard commercial flights in just a couple years, many will want to take along their personal electronics.
Veg-01 aims to grow Outredegeous lettuce, a variety of Romaine, aboard the ISS. This space farm is designed to show the effects of space travel on agriculture.
"Veggie will provide a new resource for U.S. astronauts and researchers as we begin to develop the capabilities of growing fresh produce and other large plants on the space station. Determining food safety is one of our primary goals for this validation test," Gioia Massa, NASA payload scientist for Veggie, stated in a statement.
This will mark the third private resupply mission to the space station.
After separation from the Dragon capsule, the first stage will attempt a soft landing on Earth. This will take place over the open water, for the sake of safety. Mission planners say they expect just a 30 percent to 40 percent chance of a successful controlled landing. In future landings, the booster is expected to come to rest vertically on land, ready to be serviced for another flight.
This postponement is the latest in a series of delays for the resupply mission. The next chance to launch will come on Friday, 18 April, although a new date has not yet been confirmed by mission managers.
