SpaceX has delayed a mission intended to bring back two NASA astronauts stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) due to a last-minute technical issue.

The delay means astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams will remain on the ISS for at least two more days before their long-awaited return to Earth.

Wilmore and Williams initially arrived at the ISS in June for what was planned as a 10-day mission. However, their Boeing Starliner spacecraft encountered propulsion malfunctions, forcing them to extend their stay indefinitely.

The two astronauts are set to return aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, currently docked at the ISS, but only after a replacement crew of American, Japanese, and Russian astronauts arrives.

NASA announced that Wednesday’s scheduled launch from Kennedy Space Center was called off due to a hydraulic system issue with a ground support clamp arm on the Falcon 9 rocket. Engineers are working to resolve the problem, and the agency now plans to attempt the launch on Friday.

The incoming Crew-10 team includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russia’s Kirill Peskov. If the mission proceeds as planned, Wilmore and Williams could depart the ISS as early as March 19.

Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Williams expressed her eagerness to return home.

“It’s been a roller coaster for my family, probably even more than for us,” she said. “We’re here, doing our mission every day. Space is always exciting, but I’m looking forward to seeing my loved ones again.”

Source: Al Jazeera 

BDST: 1219 HRS, MAR 13, 2025
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