NASA has delayed the launch of its Crew-10 space station mission due to an issue with the launchpad’s ground system. The crew, including astronauts from the US, Japan, and Russia, was initially scheduled to launch on Wednesday but will now take off no earlier than Friday at 7:03 p.m. ET.
The problem arose from a hydraulics system used to control one of two clamps that hold the rocket in place during the pre-launch phase. Despite the issue, NASA officials said that everything is fine with the rocket and spacecraft.
The Crew-10 mission is part of a routine ISS staff rotation, which allows for the space station to remain fully staffed. The crew will spend several days acclimating to life on the orbiting laboratory during a handover period with the Crew-9 astronauts.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams were initially expected to return home after their Starliner test flight, but numerous issues prompted NASA to deem the vehicle too risky. Instead, they joined the official ISS staff and will now stay on board until the Crew-10 mission arrives.
The delay comes as controversy surrounding President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s comments about the mission continues. Musk has claimed that former President Joe Biden’s administration denied an offer from SpaceX to return Williams and Wilmore early for “political reasons.” However, a former NASA official told CNN that such an offer was never made, and the space agency would not have entertained it anyway.
Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have repeatedly said they enjoy their time in space and are committed to their mission. Despite Musk’s claims, they remain tight-lipped about the details of any potential offers or discussions regarding their early return.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/12/science/spacex-launch-astronauts-stuck-space-iss/index.html