NASA and SpaceX are now targeting Friday, March 14, at 7:03 PM ET for the launch of the Crew-10 mission.
The mission was earlier delayed due to a hydraulic system issue with a ground support clamp arm at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A.
This mission is critical as it will enable the long-overdue return of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station for nine months. Launched initially on Boeing’s Starliner for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission on June 5, 2024, the astronauts could not return due to technical issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks that made Starliner unsafe for the trip back.
Instead, Wilmore and Williams are now expected to return on the Crew-9 capsule alongside two astronauts from a separate mission, with their homecoming tentatively scheduled for March 16, 2025.
The Crew-10 team comprises NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA mission specialist Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Once aboard the ISS, they will spend several months conducting experiments, research, and spacewalks.
As NASA and SpaceX continue collaborating in human spaceflight, all eyes are on this high-stakes launch that ensures the continued success of ISS missions and the long-awaited return of two astronauts who have been in space far longer than planned.
