'The real reason': Why SpaceX postponed NASA's Sunita Williams' rescue mission till Friday?
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Produced by Tarun Mishra
SpaceX cancelled the launch of Crew-10, scheduled for 12 March, just 45 minutes before liftoff. The mission was set to carry four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
The delay was caused by a hydraulics problem in the transporter-erector, a structure responsible for moving the Falcon 9 to the launch pad and keeping it stable before liftoff. The issue involved a malfunctioning clamp arm, NASA officials confirmed.
NASA and SpaceX stated that neither the Falcon 9 rocket nor the Crew Dragon capsule, named Endurance, had any technical issues. The concern was limited to the ground support system ensuring the vehicle’s stability before takeoff.
Crew-10 consists of NASA astronauts Anne McClain (commander) and Nichole Ayers (pilot), along with JAXA’s Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos’ Kirill Peskov. They are set for a six-month mission on the ISS and will replace the current crew onboard.
NASA later announced that the next launch attempt for Crew-10 is scheduled for 14 March at 7:03 p.m. EDT (2303 GMT). The agency has not indicated any further concerns that could delay the mission again.
Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, originally sent to the ISS in June on Boeing’s Starliner capsule for a short-term mission, have remained in orbit due to issues with the spacecraft’s thruster system. NASA opted to bring Starliner back without a crew.
Williams and Wilmore will return to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 capsule, Freedom. This capsule, which reached the ISS in September with astronauts Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov, had its crew size adjusted to accommodate their return.
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