NASA, SpaceX Scrub CRS-34 Launch Again Due to Weather, Now Targeting May 15
Summary: NASA and SpaceX called off the CRS-34 cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station for the second time due to persistent poor weather over Cape Canaveral, Florida. After progressing through the full countdown and completing Falcon 9 fueling, the launch team scrubbed at the final minute on May 13 (Wednesday) due to a cumulus cloud rule violation. The revised launch window is now set for Friday, May 15 at 6:05 p.m. EDT (22:05 UTC).
What Happened
Unlike the first scrub on May 12, which occurred well before Falcon 9 fueling began, the second attempt on May 13 progressed through the entire countdown process. Teams completed propellant loading of the Falcon 9 rocket before ultimately determining at the final minute that launch would violate the cumulus cloud rule.
At 7:18 p.m. EDT on May 13 (23:18 UTC), NASA and SpaceX issued an update confirming the scrub and stating a target of no earlier than Friday, May 15. The 45th Weather Squadron had forecast only a 35% chance of acceptable weather for the May 13 window, citing a slow-moving front that was funneling moisture across East Central Florida and driving elevated afternoon and evening shower and thunderstorm coverage.
Mission Details
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Mission | SpaceX CRS-34, the 34th Commercial Resupply Services mission for NASA |
| Payload | Approximately 6,500 lbs (~2,948 kg) of science experiments and supplies |
| Rocket | Falcon 9, Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station |
| Trajectory | Northeasterly toward the International Space Station |
| Revised Launch Window | May 15, 6:05 p.m. EDT (22:05 UTC) |
| Weather Forecast | Probability of acceptable weather on May 15 remains low |