SpaceX and Nasa delay major launch after red lacquer drips into rockets

SpaceX and Nasa have been forced to delay a pioneering rocket launch after red lacquer dripped into a rocket engine.

The rockets had been scheduled to carry astronauts to the International Space Station on a Halloween launch. But they must now be replaced after becoming contaminated.

The bright red coating is put onto the rockets to protect their parts during cleaner. But it dripped into small vent holes in the engines, making them unable to be used for the launch, SpaceX said.

The Crew-1 launch is the first full time that SpaceX will carry astronauts on behalf of Nasa, following a successful test flight in which astronauts flew to to the ISS over summer.