NASA delaying ISS resupply mission due to capsule damage during delivery
NASA officials have announced the delay of the upcoming Northrop Grumman cargo mission.
Authorities said the mission hit a snag, because the capsule was damaged before it ever made it to the launchpad.
This means astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS) may have to stretch some supplies.
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - NASA officials have announced the delay of an upcoming cargo resupply mission, meaning astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS) may have to stretch some supplies.
The Northrop Grumman cargo mission hit a snag, space authorities said, because the capsule was damaged before it ever made it to the launchpad.
What we know
NASA's next mission is now a mishap because of troubles with transit. Officials said the cargo module was damaged during delivery to the Space Coast.
NASA says on the next SpaceX cargo resupply, they will make sure to have more food on board, so astronauts have enough reserves before the next round of supplies make it to space.
On Thursday, a NASA spokesperson told FOX 35 in a statement the agency is: "…adjusting planning for the company's next commercial resupply launch to the International Space Station."
What's next
The planning adjustments are moving the "next flight to the International Space Station for NASA, targeted to launch no earlier than fall 2025."
What they're saying
"Everything you could possibly imagine to live is brought up by these various resupply missions," said Dr. Don Platt, a space expert and professor at Florida Institute of Technology.
Platt, who also leads the school's Spaceport Education Center, thinks some research may take a backseat to make sure the astronauts can survive without the supplies.
"What they'll do is they'll take off science, so that means you trade off things," he said. " You'll have the supplies and what you need to live, but you won't be conducting all of the work you're supposed to be conducting while you're up there."
Platt says this isn't cause for concern just yet, because NASA still has SpaceX to send up supplies every three months or so.
"You never know when something may happen to a particular type of vehicle, so you really do need a backup for pretty much everything in human spaceflight," he said. "They'll bring food. They'll bring water, breathable oxygen; any equipment that may be broken."
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The Source
This story was written based on information gathered by FOX 35 reporter Esther Bower, who interviewed Don Platt over Zoom on March 27, 2025. She also spoke with several NASA spokespeople via email to confirm the latest details on the resupply mission. She was sent an official statement from NASA on March 27, 2025.
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