SpaceX targets Saturday for ISS resupply launch from KSC after a weather scrub on Tuesday

Jamie Groh, Florida Today
·3 min read
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Update: SpaceX launched this mission at 2:20 p.m. ET on Saturday, November 26 from pad 39-A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Update: SpaceX scrubbed Tuesday's NASA CRS-26 space station resupply mission due to unfavorable weather. The next launch attempt is at 2:20 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 26, with weather conditions predicted to be 60% "go."

Weather doesn't look great for SpaceX's next cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station set for liftoff at 3:54 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 22.

Space Force forecasters expect weather conditions to only be about 10% "go" for the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket and uncrewed Dragon capsule from Kennedy Space Center. Flying from pad 39A, it will mark SpaceX's 26th contracted ISS resupply mission (CRS-26) for NASA.

Tuesday's launch opportunity is instantaneous, which requires Falcon 9 to launch exactly on time or delay until a different day.

"A blustery day is in store for the Space Coast, with overcast skies and rain showers likely as conditions deteriorate through the day,"  Space Launch Delta 45 forecasters said. "The chance the periodic weather break occurs during the instantaneous launch window remains low."

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If Dragon launches on Tuesday it should meet up with the space station for docking around 6:30 a.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 23, and stay docked there for about 45 days.

The Dragon capsule is packed with thousands of pounds of supplies, cargo, and science experiments. Also aboard is a pair of International Space Station Roll Out Solar Arrays which will help provide more power to the orbiting laboratory.

A pair of International Space Station Rollout Solar Arrays, or iROSA, are seen in Cargo Dragon's unpressurized "trunk" ahead of a SpaceX cargo resupply launch to the orbiting outpost. The new arrays will be installed by astronauts atop the station's old ones during upcoming spacewalks.
A pair of International Space Station Rollout Solar Arrays, or iROSA, are seen in Cargo Dragon's unpressurized "trunk" ahead of a SpaceX cargo resupply launch to the orbiting outpost. The new arrays will be installed by astronauts atop the station's old ones during upcoming spacewalks.

Shortly after launch, the Falcon 9 booster will somersault for a return trip to attempt a landing aboard a drone ship stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.

Sarah Walker, SpaceX Dragon mission management director, told reporters Friday that a leak in a thermal control system loop was detected during pre-launch processing. That system is responsible for cooling the inside of the Dragon capsule.

Walker assured that ahead of mating the spacecraft to its Falcon 9 booster, work to correct the control loop issue was being finished up by SpaceX crews at Kennedy Space Center heading into the weekend.

Walker also explained that the CRS-26 cargo Dragon spacecraft is the last newly manufactured one to be produced by SpaceX. After this, all cargo Dragon missions will be carried out by one of three capsules that will have previously visited the ISS.

To support the ever-growing manifest of crewed missions for NASA and private customers, Walker explained that SpaceX will be adding one more crew variant of the Dragon capsule to the company's fleet. "That will round out our fleet to three cargo and five (crew) Dragon vehicles to carry us into the future," Walker said.

Tuesday's mission will be SpaceX's fifth and final Dragon mission this year. According to Walker, in the event of a delay on Tuesday, there are backup launch opportunities available on Saturday, Nov. 26, and Sunday, Nov 27, but require approval by Space Launch Delta 45.

For the latest, visit floridatoday.com/launchschedule.

Jamie Groh is a space reporter for Florida Today. You can contact her at JGroh@floridatoday.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AlteredJamie.

Launch Saturday, Nov. 26:

  • Company / Agency: NASA-contracted SpaceX CRS-26 mission

  • Rocket: SpaceX Falcon 9

  • Location: Pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center

  • Launch Time: 2:20 p.m. EST

  • Trajectory: Northeast

  • Weather: 60% "go"

  • Live coverage: Starts 90 minutes before liftoff at floridatoday.com/space

  • About: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will launch the 26th Commercial Resupply Services mission, or CRS-26, under contract from NASA to the International Space Station. An uncrewed Dragon capsule will take thousands of pounds of cargo and supplies for the ISS crew.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: After Tuesday's scrub, SpaceX targets Saturday for ISS resupply mission