NASA orders rare medical delay in launch of SpaceX mission to space station

FILE PHOTO: A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket stands on the launch pad behind the pictures of crew members on the countdown clock, as final preparations are made for the Crew 3 mission to the International Space Station at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral. Florida, U.S. October 29, 2021. Launch is scheduled for October 31. REUTERS/Joe Skipper

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) -NASA announced on Monday a rare, health-related delay in its SpaceX rocket launch of four astronauts to the International Space Station, the second postponement of the mission in a week, citing an unspecified medical issue with one of the crew.

NASA said the issue was "not a medical emergency and not related to COVID-19," but the space agency declined to elaborate on the nature of the problem or say which astronaut was involved.