Technical Glitch Forces SpaceX To Delay Crew-10 Launch, Postponing Sunita Williams' Return From ISS

In a last-minute decision, SpaceX postponed the launch of its Falcon 9 rocket, which was set to transport four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of NASA’s Crew-10 mission, reported NDTV.

The mission aimed to replace stranded NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, but a technical issue with a ground support system forced a delay just under an hour before liftoff.

The launch was called off due to a hydraulic malfunction in a clamp arm at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 

Following a thorough assessment, mission managers opted to reschedule the liftoff for no earlier than 7:03 PM EDT (4:33 AM IST) on Friday (14 March).

However, additional weather concerns, including strong winds and precipitation along the flight path, prompted officials to push back the attempt further to ensure a safe journey.

The four-member crew—NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov—safely exited the Dragon spacecraft following the delay, with mission controllers confirming that both the rocket and the capsule remained in secure condition..

 If all had gone as planned, the return mission was scheduled for 19 March.

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