Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams, who went to space for the third time, has been at the International Space Station (ISS) for close to nine months. Astronaut Butch Wilmore, her companion, too is still on the ISS. The NASA-SpaceX Crew 10 mission that was going to return her has been delayed.
Crew 10 Mission Delayed due to Technical Snag
The Crew 10 mission that will be launched from Florida, USA, was supposed to have four astronauts on board a Falcon 9 rocket. NASA postponed the mission because of a hydraulic system problem. Another attempt will be made later this week after the issue is fixed, officials confirmed. The delay will also extend the return of the astronauts to Earth.
Extended Stay at the ISS
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore first came to the ISS on the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which was launched on June 5, 2024. According to the initial plan, they were supposed to return to Earth within a week. Unfortunately, the Starliner had technical problems and came back to Earth without the astronauts. Williams and Wilmore have been on board the ISS since then.
SpaceX's Plan to Bring Back the Astronauts
For them to return, a fresh crew is to be first dispatched to the ISS. NASA authorities had earlier indicated that the delay occurred due to SpaceX needing more time to prepare for this mission.
In a recent media exchange from space, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore confirmed that the SpaceX's Crew-10 spacecraft is due to arrive on March 12. The new crew arriving at the ISS will resume their responsibilities so that Williams and Wilmore may return to Earth on the same vessel on March 19.
Tags Cloud
