NEW DELHI, March 13: SpaceX has postponed the launch of its Crew-10 mission, which was intended to rescue stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station. The mission, which was scheduled to launch from Florida, was delayed at the eleventh hour due to technical issues.
The mission was set to transport a team of four astronauts who were assigned to replace Williams and Wilmore, both of whom have been stranded at the space station. However, the launch was postponed due to a hydraulic system issue with the ground support clamp arm for the Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Complex 39A at the Kennedy Space Center.
NASA and SpaceX have confirmed that the next launch attempt is now scheduled for March 14. The delay was also attributed to high winds and precipitation that were forecasted to affect the flight path of the Dragon spacecraft.
Astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, along with Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, have safely exited the Dragon spacecraft. The rocket itself remains secure.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon is now expected to ferry back Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore by March 19. NASA had insisted on a quicker turnaround time for the spacecraft to minimize the use of consumables at the International Space Station, prompting the urgency in scheduling the mission.
