NASA, SpaceX postpone crew mission launch due to large storm

WASHINGTON - NASA and SpaceX have postponed their Crew-3 launch to the space station due to a large storm.

The launch, originally planned for early Sunday, is now rescheduled for 1:10 am Wednesday Easter Day Time, Nov 3, due to a large storm system meandering across the Ohio Valley and through northeastern United States this weekend, elevating winds and waves in the Atlantic Ocean along the Crew Dragon flight path for the Oct 31 launch attempt, said NASA.

Weather conditions along the ascent corridor are expected to improve for a Nov 3 launch attempt, and the 45th Weather Squadron forecast predicts an 80 percent chance of favorable weather conditions at the launch site, according to NASA.

The crew members include NASA astronauts Raja Chari, mission commander, Tom Marshburn, pilot, and Kayla Barron, mission specialist, as well as European Space Agency astronaut Matthias Maurer.

They will launch on the SpaceX Crew Dragon Endurance spacecraft and its Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Crew-3 astronauts are scheduled for a long-duration science mission aboard the orbiting laboratory, living and working as part of what is expected to be a seven-member crew, according to NASA.