SpaceX’s next human launch is delayed because of a bridge.

A representative of the popular spacecraft manufacturer recently announced that the Falcon 9 rocket meant to bring SpaceX’s crew-5 astronauts was damaged during transport, delaying the company’s next human mission to late September, per Space.com.

NASA is already aware of the damage to the rocket since mid-July, as seen in a NASASpaceflight report. However, the cause of the damage was not officially confirmed outside of media reports until today.

What Damaged The Falcon 9 Rocket?

Benjamin Reed, SpaceX’s senior director of the human spaceflight program, told reporters that the company’s Falcon 9 rocket was damaged when it collided with a bridge while being transported.

Reed mentioned that the rocket’s booster stage was the one that collided with a bridge on the route from SpaceX’s production factory in Hawthorne, California, to its Mcgregor test facility in Texas for stage testing.

Assessment of the rocket’s booster stage revealed that it suffered a “failrly minor incursion” that still caused some damage. This assessment led SpaceX to replace the damaged composite interstage of Falcon 9’s booster stage “and some of the other components on that first stage,” per Reed.

spacex is working on some changes following falcon 9 rocket transport damages
(Photo : NASA)
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-5 from left to right, top to bottom :NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina.

In addition to repairs, Reed mentioned that the company went through a “very robust process of analysis and tests” on that Falcon 9. It was only during this time that Crew-5 astronauts, namely NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Josh Cassada, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata, and Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina, were informed of the issue and resulting delay.

Mann mentioned in a separate live streamed NASA briefing that the Crew-5 astronauts had some “very transparent conversations” with SpaceX regarding the Falcon 9’s repair and modifications.

She also mentioned that everybody understands that the rocket needs to be reliable and safe and that the Crew-5 astronauts have “full confidence” that NASA and SpaceX will not be putting them on a rocket they are not confident with.

“We want to make sure it’s the safest,” Reed said during the briefing. “We’ve all certified it to be [that way], and that we’re confident in flying the crew members.”

Reed was also present at the NASA briefing.

Crew-5’s New Launch Date

Thanks to the bridge collision, NASA has been forced to delay Crew-5’s launch to the International Space Station in late September, specifically no earlier than Sept. 29, per a separate NASA report.

The launch is crucial as it is the first time a Russian cosmonaut will be flying in an American commercial spacecraft despite the ongoing tensions between NASA and Russia’s space agency, Roscosmos.

The four astronauts involved in the Crew-5 mission is NASA’s fifth crew rotation flight involving a US commercial spacecraft carrying a crew for a science expedition aboard the microgravity laboratory.

GAME'S NEWS RELATED

When is the release date of Sifu’s Summer Update?

Image via Sloclap Earlier this year, Slowcap’s Sifu took the world by storm, selling over one million copies in its first three weeks on the market. Close to launch, the team revealed that the game would get several free content updates over the course of the year. In the ...

View more: When is the release date of Sifu’s Summer Update?

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty gameplay trailer shows fast-paced, high-flying action

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is a slow burning title that’s slowly heating up and bringing the hype to fans of third person action titles. One of next year’s most dynamic and aggressive titles has just gotten a new gameplay trailer, giving us a brief glimpse of what we have to ...

View more: Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty gameplay trailer shows fast-paced, high-flying action

New Minecraft Legends Trailer Gives A First Look At Fiery Foes

Gungrave GORE - Release Date Trailer - IGN

A series making its return after many years, Gungrave GORE promises bloody mayhem, a killer team, and a fall release date in this new Gamescom trailer. A mix of CG and gameplay gives it a good taste of the carnage to come. This new Gungrave game will launch on ...

View more: Gungrave GORE - Release Date Trailer - IGN

Heavy Metal's first YA story Starward concludes with an all-out celestial brawl

This is not your grandfather's Heavy Metal

View more: Heavy Metal's first YA story Starward concludes with an all-out celestial brawl

Nexa and flameZ help OG upset FaZe in BLAST Premier Fall Groups

Photo via PGL OG beat FaZe Clan 2-1 today in the knockout stage of the BLAST Premier Fall Groups, which is their best result since adding Adam “NEOFRAG” Zouhar, Maciej “F1KU” Miklas, and Abdulkhalik “degster” Gasanov halfway through 2022. The victory allows OG to move further in the CS:GO ...

View more: Nexa and flameZ help OG upset FaZe in BLAST Premier Fall Groups

Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed Review

In the first Destroy All Humans!, Crypto evidently didn’t manage to successfully carry out his objective to destroy all of the humans – as per the title’s remit – necessitating the existence of a 2006 sequel, which forms the basis for this remake, playfully titled Destroy All Humans! 2 – ...

View more: Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed Review

Hearthstone Patch 24.2: Full notes and updates

Battlegrounds. Battlegrounds everywhere Miscellaneous Mercs, Brawliseum, and more Image via Blizzard Entertainment The latest update to Blizzard’s popular card game is bringing along the new separate seasonal pass for Battlegrounds and Runestones, Hearthstone’s new virtual currency. Heroic Brawliseum is also making a return, plus in-game reporting is finally being ...

View more: Hearthstone Patch 24.2: Full notes and updates

Metal Gear and Silent Hill fans hope Konami's announcement could revive classic games

Age of Darkness: Final Stand - Edwin Hero Spotlight - IGN

Destroy All Humans! 2: Reprobed Video Review - IGN

The First 13 Minutes of Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed PS5 Gameplay - IGN

Destroy All Humans 2 - Reprobed

Team Liquid officially exits PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds eSports

‘The Ghost Lights’ VOD Review

Official PC system requirements for Hogwarts Legacy

Review Destroy all Humans! 2 – Reprobed

Aliens: Dark Descent is more than an XCOM clone - and feels surprisingly true to the movies

Destiny 2's New Craftable Taipan-4FR Linear Fusion Rifle Is A Must-Have, Here's How To Get It

Volunteer As A Subject In THE OUTLAST TRIALS Closed Beta

OTHER GAME NEWS