Four astronauts were preparing to head to the International Space Station on a SpaceX spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday. However, less than 45 minutes before launch, the mission was called off due to a hydraulic issue with a clamp arm. The launch was rescheduled for Friday due to iffy weather conditions on Thursday. This mission, named Crew-10, is getting extra attention as it will bring back NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore after an unexpected extended stay of over nine months.
The launch is scheduled for 7:03 p.m. Eastern time on Friday, with NASA providing coverage starting at 3 p.m. The crew includes two NASA astronauts, one from the Japanese space agency JAXA, and one from the Russian space agency Roscosmos. This will be the first spaceflight for two of the astronauts and the second for the other two. Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore have been waiting to return to Earth since late September, when the spacecraft that was supposed to bring them back undocked and landed safely in New Mexico due to propulsion problems.
NASA had to find seats for Williams and Wilmore on another spacecraft to return home, which ended up being the Crew-10 mission. The Crew-9 capsule could have brought the astronauts back at any time, but NASA decided to keep the space station fully staffed and stick to the planned schedule for Crew-10. If the launch of Crew-10 is successful, the return of Williams and Wilmore is expected around March 19, with the possibility of an extended stay due to weather conditions at the splashdown sites.
The astronauts have described their extended stay on the space station as challenging but enjoyable. They see it as a unique experience and appreciate the opportunity to spend more time in space, even though it was not originally planned. Williams and Wilmore have expressed their readiness to return to Earth and make the most of their remaining time in space. The Crew-9 and Crew-10 astronauts will overlap for a few days at the space station before Williams and Wilmore, along with two other astronauts, head home on their spacecraft. The astronauts are staying positive and focused as they prepare for their journey back to Earth.
In an interview, the astronauts emphasized that they do not feel stuck or stranded in space, despite the unexpected extension of their mission. They view their time in space as challenging but rewarding, with opportunities for scientific experiments and personal growth. With the launch of Crew-10, the return of Williams and Wilmore is finally within reach, allowing them to complete their extended mission and return to Earth. The upcoming days will be crucial for the astronauts as they prepare for the return journey and bid farewell to their colleagues on the space station.
