A Russian Soyuz rocket heading for the International Space Station (ISS) was aborted seconds before launch yesterday, an unusual delay for the most reliable and commonly used launch vehicle in the world.

The Soyuz booster was scheduled to take a Progress MS-07 supply ship to the ISS, and is not without controversy. The supply ship is taking a few traditional items, like 2.9 tons of fuel, water, and food for the six astronauts currently aboard the ISS. But it's also carrying a mysterious Russian scientific payload, contents unknown.

NASA has attempted to inquire about the experiment, but beyond learning that it is taking a one-time trip, there has been no response. The silence likely marks the first failure to disclose cargo in the Russian-American 18-year history of joint operations aboard the ISS, and comes after a classified U.S. satellite reportedly made curious passes in the proximity of the space station.

Beyond any geopolitical ramifications, Russian engineers were hoping to use the launch to show off technical prowess. The ISS is around 200 miles above the Earth, and Roscosmos, launching out of the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakstan, wanted to rendezvous in under three and a half hours, a new record. The Soyuz will now have to settle for a two-and-a-half day voyage.

Roscosmos has not yet released any information regarding what caused the delay. However, they have relayed to NASA when they attempt try again: this Saturday, at 0846:53 GMT (4:46:53 a.m. ET).

Source: SpaceflightNow

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