Technical issue delays crew-10 mission launch
Kennedy space center, Florida: A planned launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, which was set to transport four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and bring back stranded NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, has been postponed due to a hydraulic system issue. The delay comes just minutes before liftoff at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
According to NASA and SpaceX, the mission—crew-10—was scrubbed due to a problem with a ground support clamp arm for the falcon 9 rocket at launch complex 39a.
New launch schedule and impact on mission
NASA has now set the next possible launch attempt for no earlier than 7:03 pm ET on March 14, citing high winds and precipitation in the planned flight path of the Dragon spacecraft as additional concerns.
NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan aerospace exploration agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, who were aboard the Dragon spacecraft for the scheduled mission, have safely exited. The Falcon 9 rocket also remains in stable condition.
Mission objectives and astronaut return timeline
The Crew Dragon mission was initially scheduled to bring back astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the ISS by March 19. NASA had planned for a quick turnaround of the spacecraft to minimize the consumption of onboard resources at the space station.
With the delay, mission planners are now adjusting timelines to ensure a safe and efficient return for the stranded astronauts.
