Join CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter for the latest news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements, and more. An upcoming mission to the International Space Station by an international crew of astronauts, set to replace NASA’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, has been delayed due to a ground system issue at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Crew-10 flight, a joint operation between NASA and SpaceX, was postponed from its scheduled Wednesday launch due to a hydraulics system problem with the launchpad clamp. The launch is now rescheduled for Friday at 7:03 p.m. ET. The Crew-10 astronauts, including members from NASA, JAXA, and Roscosmos, will travel aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule atop a Falcon 9 rocket. Once at the space station, they will hand over duties to the Crew-9 astronauts before returning home. The delay in the Crew-10 mission has raised questions regarding public controversies involving claims made by President Trump and Elon Musk regarding the previous administration’s handling of the mission.
The proposition was relayed to agency leadership, and it is unlikely that NASA would have considered it regardless. If Elon Musk had presented the offer to someone outside of NASA leadership, it was suggested that the response would have highlighted the significant additional costs involved, which NASA could not afford for a new Dragon capsule and Falcon 9 rocket. During an August 2024 news conference, Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, informed reporters that the space agency never even contemplated the option of a separate SpaceX mission solely dedicated to retrieving Williams and Wilmore instead of returning them to Earth on a routine flight. Stich explained that expediting a SpaceX flight to bring back the astronauts earlier did not align with their plans. Despite Musk claiming that he proposed the idea to the Biden White House but was turned down, it remains unclear why he did not discuss the proposal with NASA mission organizers. A former White House staffer did not provide a comment in response to the inquiry.
When NASA announced in August 2024 that the Starliner would return empty, Williams and Wilmore were reassigned to a SpaceX crew mission, joining the official ISS staff and Crew-9. Originally scheduled to return in February, the Crew-9 mission was delayed to late March due to issues with a new Crew Dragon capsule prepared for the Crew-10 astronauts. Recently, NASA announced that the Crew-10 launch date would be moved up by utilizing a previously flown Crew Dragon capsule.
NASA stressed the importance of launching the Crew-10 staff to the ISS and completing the handover process before Williams, Wilmore, and the Crew-9 astronauts return to Earth. The decision to keep Williams and Wilmore on the ISS rather than conduct an emergency return mission was part of NASA’s strategy to maintain a fully staffed space station. This allowed the experienced astronauts to contribute to daily operations on the lab, as they had undergone training to join the ISS crew in the event of contingencies. The agency aims to have at least four representatives from the US and partner countries on the space station at all times.
Both Williams and Wilmore have expressed their enjoyment of their time in space, with Williams describing it as her “happy place” and emphasizing the unique experiences and perspectives gained from working in the space environment. They have also addressed criticisms suggesting they were abandoned by the previous administration, urging a shift in the narrative surrounding their mission.
“Remain prepared and committed, regardless of what you have heard. That is our preference,” Wilmore continued to fan speculation about Musk’s claims of an early return offer for astronauts during a news conference held on March 4 from the space station. “I can confirm that Mr. Musk’s statements are indeed accurate,” Wilmore stated. However, he also mentioned, “We currently do not possess any information on this matter. The details of what was offered, to whom, and how the process unfolded are not known to us.” Sign up for CNN news and newsletters by creating an account at CNN.com.
