SpaceX’s Crew-10 launch has been delayed due to technical issues, keeping astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams in orbit for an extended period. The duo launched in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft but experienced technical problems en route, leading NASA to extend their stay on the International Space Station.
Initially expected to last a week, Wilmore and Williams’ trip ballooned into a monthslong assignment. They joined Crew-9, a routine space station mission, after an initial handoff period with Crew-10 was rescheduled due to technical issues with a new Dragon spacecraft.
NASA has announced that Crew-10 will now launch at least a month later than expected, with the new timeline set for late March. The delay allows NASA and SpaceX teams to complete processing on the new Dragon spacecraft.
Astronauts often experience unexpected extensions to their space station visit, with some staying for six months or more. For example, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio holds the US record for the longest continuous stay on the space station, spending 371 days in space.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/18/science/astronauts-space-delay-return/index.html