Northrop Grumman’s capsule rocketed into orbit on Sunday from Florida aboard a SpaceX rocket.
But less than two days later, the capsule’s main engine shut down prematurely while trying to boost its orbit.
The Cygnus capsule was supposed to dock on Wednesday, delivering more than 5,000 kg of cargo but Nasa said everything is on hold while flight controllers consider an alternative plan.
This marked the debut of Northrop Grumman’s newest, extra large model, known as Cygnus XL, capable of ferrying a much bigger load.
The shipment includes food and science experiments for the seven space station residents, as well as spare parts for the toilet and other systems.
Northrop Grumman is one of Nasa’s two cargo suppliers to the space station. The other is SpaceX.
Russia also provides regular shipments to the 260-mile-high orbiting lab, with the latest delivery arriving over the weekend.