With just minutes to liftoff, NASA and SpaceX called off the highly anticipated launch of Crew-10, a mission that would have brought back stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS). The launch was scrubbed due to a hydraulic system issue with a ground support clamp arm at Launch Complex 39A in Florida.
The mission, originally set for March 13, has now been rescheduled for March 14 at 7:03 PM EDT (March 15, 4:33 AM IST), pending weather conditions. NASA cited high winds and precipitation along the Dragon spacecraft’s flight path as another reason for the delay.
Astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers (NASA), Takuya Onishi (JAXA), and Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos), who were set to replace the current ISS crew, have safely exited the Dragon spacecraft, and the Falcon 9 rocket remains secure at the launch site.
The delay raises concerns over consumable supplies at the ISS, as NASA had planned a quick turnaround for Crew Dragon’s return mission. If the new launch schedule holds, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are expected to return by March 19—but further delays could push that timeline.
