SpaceX Postpones Crew-10 Mission Due to Technical Issue, Delaying Astronauts’ Return
A last-minute technical issue with the launchpad forced SpaceX to delay its Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Wednesday, further prolonging the return of two astronauts who have been stranded in orbit for nine months, according to Reuters.
The Crew-10 launch, originally scheduled for 7:48 pm ET (2348 GMT) from Kennedy Space Center, was intended to transport a replacement crew of four astronauts — two from NASA, one from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and one from Russia’s Roscosmos. Their arrival would have allowed NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to finally return to Earth after being stuck on the ISS due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which experienced propulsion failures.
NASA and SpaceX have not yet announced a new launch date, but officials indicated that another attempt could be made in the coming days.
Initially, Wilmore and Williams were expected to spend only eight days aboard the ISS after arriving in June. However, when Starliner returned to Earth without them last year, NASA deemed it unsafe for their return. Since then, the two astronauts have remained on the ISS, conducting research and maintenance tasks while awaiting a safe ride home.
The mission has drawn significant attention, with U.S. President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk urging NASA to expedite the astronauts’ return. Although the launch was moved forward by two weeks, NASA maintains that the decision was based on routine operational considerations.
Once the Crew-10 mission successfully reaches the ISS, Wilmore and Williams — along with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov — will return to Earth aboard the Crew-9 capsule, which has been docked at the ISS since September.
Reflecting on her extended stay in space, Williams expressed her eagerness to reunite with her family and pet dogs. “Every day is interesting because we’re up in space, and it’s a lot of fun,” she said. Despite the challenges, the astronauts remain focused on their work while awaiting their long-awaited journey home.
