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Space Station Power Issue Delays SpaceX Launch

The International Space Station. Photo: NASA
The International Space Station. Photo: NASA

A partial power outage on the International Space Station is delaying the launch of a SpaceX cargo capsule from Cape Canaveral.

NASA said one of the station’s power switches isn’t working. There’s no threat to the crew on board but the agency asked SpaceX to delay its planned launch of more than 5,000 pounds of supplies and science to later this week.

On Thursday, NASA will attempt to replace the faulty hardware using a robotic arm installed on the ISS. If all goes well, the next opportunity for SpaceX to launch the supplies is Friday.

NASA pays commercial partners to ship supplies to the orbiting outpost.

There are six people currently on board the station -- three American astronauts, a Canadian astronaut and two Russian cosmonauts.

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Brendan Byrne is WMFE's Assistant News Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the WMFE newsroom, editing daily news stories, and managing WMFE's internship program.

Byrne also hosts WMFE's weekly radio show and podcast "Are We There Yet?" which explores human space exploration.