SpaceX mission aiming to bring back Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore postponed

NASA said on Wednesday that the launch of the NASA-SpaceX Crew-10 mission, which aims to bring back stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station, has been postponed.

The delay was caused by a hydraulic system issue on the ground, though the rocket and spacecraft remain unaffected.

The Falcon 9 launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, was delayed due to a hydraulic issue on the ground. There is a possibility of another launch attempt, which may happen on Thursday.

The rocket was set to carry four new crew members to the International Space Station and help bring back astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore.

“There was an issue with the hydraulic system on the ground side,” NASA launch commentator Derrol Nail said, adding that “everything was fine with the rocket and the spacecraft itself.”

Stranded on ISS since June 2024

Both NASA astronauts have been on the International Space Station (ISS) since June 2024, exceeding their planned mission duration due to delays in their return vehicle. The Boeing Starliner capsule was initially intended to bring them back, but it encountered malfunctions, leading to their extended stay.

The astronauts were originally scheduled for an eight-day stay but have now been stranded on the ISS for more than nine months.

Trained to ’expect the unexpected'

Astronauts Suni Williams, 58, and Butch Wilmore, 61, have handled their extended stay on the ISS well. They said in a news conference in September last year that they were trained to “expect the unexpected.”

“This is my happy place,” Williams said, though she admitted missing her family and two dogs.

Wilmore acknowledged that problems with the Starliner spacecraft made it unsafe for their return. However, he noted that most of their training focused on handling unexpected situations.

He added that they were prepared to stay for “eight months, nine months, 10 months” if needed.