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More Wait for Stranded Astronauts After Replacement Crew Delayed
A pair of astronauts stuck aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months may have to wait a little longer to return home after the launch of their replacements was postponed.
Crew-9 is expected to depart the ISS on March 16, carrying Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, Suni Williams and Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Launch Delays
The Falcon 9 rocket propelling the NASA-SpaceX Crew-10 mission was set to blast off from Florida's Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday at 7:48 pm (2348 GMT). However, with around 45 minutes left on the countdown clock and the four-member team strapped in, the launch was scrubbed due to technical issues.
Cause of Delay
NASA's launch commentator Derrol Nail stated, "There was an issue with the hydraulic system on the ground side," adding that "everything was fine with the rocket and the spacecraft itself."
A Federal Aviation Administration space advisory indicated that the next launch opportunity was on Thursday, with a backup scheduled for Friday.
Stranded Astronauts
NASA duo Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have been stranded aboard the ISS since June after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft developed propulsion issues and was deemed unfit for their return. It came back empty. Wilmore and Williams were initially slated for an eight-day mission but were reassigned to the Crew-9 mission after its astronauts arrived in September aboard a SpaceX Dragon. The Crew-9 spacecraft, which is now docked at the ISS, can only return to Earth after the arrival of the Crew-10 mission.
"We came up prepared to stay long, even though we plan to stay short," Wilmore stated in a recent news conference. "That's what your nation's human space flight program is all about, planning for unknown, unexpected contingencies."
Return Speculation
crew-9 is expected to depart on Sunday, weather permitting, for an ocean splashdown off the Florida coast. It was not immediately clear if that timeline is still feasible due to the launch delays.
International Cooperation
Notably, along with Wilmore and Williams, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will also be aboard the returning Dragon capsule. Space remains an area of cooperation between the United States and Russia despite geopolitical tensions, with cosmonauts traveling to the ISS aboard SpaceX Crew Dragons and astronauts utilizing Soyuz capsules launched from Kazakhstan.
Political Implications
The prolonged stay of Wilmore and Williams has turned into a political flashpoint as prominent figures, including President Donald Trump and advisor Elon Musk, have accused the Biden administration of abandoning the astronauts.
Musk suggested offering Biden and the administration a "rescue" mission outside of standard crew rotations. However, with new developments transpiring and Trump in office, plans to return the astronauts remain consistent.
Conflicting Responses
The issue has led to heated exchanges on social media, particularly between Musk and Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen, with Musk using inappropriate language. In defense, several retired astronauts have come to Mogensen's aid.
Contradicting Musk's statements, Wilmore professed, "I can only say that Mr. Musk, what he says is absolutely factual," later commenting that "politics is not playing into this at all."
Upcoming Missions
The Crew-10 team consists of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan's Takuya Onishi, and Russia's Kirill Peskov. McClain, the mission's commander, will be making her second trip to space, expressing her eagerness to connect with Wilmore and Williams.
During their mission, the new crew will engage in a variety of scientific experiments, including flammability tests for future spacecraft designs and research into the effects of space on human physiology.
Conclusion
This unforeseen delay has tested the patience and resilience of astronauts working in an unprecedented environment amidst geopolitical nuances. Their return is awaited eagerly by not only their colleagues and families but also the global community that continues to support space exploration.
© 2025 AFP
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