NASA has postposed the launch of a SpaceX rocket taking four astronauts to the International Space Station on unspecified medical grounds.

The space agency said the delay was not COVID-19 related, nor was it a medical emergency, but did not identify the matter further or the astronaut involved.

It is the first time that NASA has delayed a launch on medical grounds since 1990, when astronaut John Creighton became ill before a Space Shuttle flight.

“The agency takes every effort to protect the crew prior to its launch through a health stabilisation plan,” explained NASA, adding the “astronauts will remain in quarantine at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida while preparing for their launch”.

“Teams will continue to monitor crew health as they evaluate potential launch opportunities at the end of the week,” the agency stated.

It is the second delay for the SpaceX mission, which had initially been scheduled to take off on Sunday before being grounded by the weather until Wednesday.

NASA says that the flight has now been rescheduled for Saturday, when the three US astronauts and another from the European Space Agency (ESA) will take off from Florida.

Lucy mission: NASA launches first probe to asteroid ‘swarm’ with aim of exploring origins of solar system

Mars Perseverance Rover: Images confirm Jezero crater was ancient lake – and may hold traces of life, say scientists

NASA scientists baffled by discovery Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is accelerating

The crew for the flight are NASA’s flight commander Raja Chari, 44, mission pilot Tom Marshburn, 61, and mission specialist Kayla Barron, 34 – alongside ESA’s German astronaut Matthias Maurer, 51, as mission specialist.

The astronauts will arrive at the ISS roughly 22 hours after launching and will stay on board for a six-month mission.

Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

It will be the first human spaceflight completed by SpaceX since its space tourism mission in September, which saw the first all-civilian crew orbit the planet.

NASA and SpaceX in May 2020 completed the first manned space launch from US soil for almost a decade, a capability it lost in 2011 when the Space Shuttle programme was retired.

Related posts:

Friends reunion filming date and details revealed by David Schwimmer ‘This is evil’: Lil Nas X takes heat for launching human blood ‘Satan shoes’ range Body of missing taxi driver found under man’s house Biden’s mandate to tackle gun violence makes for stark reading – but he likely won’t get far Bystander videos of George Floyd’s arrest ‘made clear how he died’, murder trial hears George Floyd’s younger brother breaks down in court remembering ‘the leader of our household’ Ransomware attack on critical pipeline fuels worry of transport chaos Tesla owner arrested after repeatedly riding in the back seat while it was on autopilot Anne Sacoolas to appear in UK court by video link charged with causing death of Harry Dunn ‘I’ve lived there for 26 years, in 26 seconds it was gone’: The cruel randomness of the Kentucky tornado Factory where workers ‘were told they would be sacked if they left during tornado’ to be investigated Newborn baby found dead after being left in snow outside ‘safe haven’ fire station