Second Try Scheduled for Friday Night
SpaceX and NASA are poised for a second launch of a new crew to the International Space Station (ISS) after an earlier delay. The mission, originally scheduled on Wednesday, was delayed after the engineers detected a malfunction in a clamp securing the Falcon 9 rocket. Engineers repaired the malfunction, and the second launch will be at 7:03 p.m. on Friday from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida.
Crew-10 to Arrive on ISS
The Crew-10 mission will have four astronauts travel to the space station: Anne McClain, NASA’s Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russia’s Kirill Peskov. Their arrival will facilitate an easy transition with NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who have been unexpectedly stationed on the ISS for nine months.
Extended Stay Caused by Starliner Issues
Williams and Wilmore had initially flown to the ISS on June 6 on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on a short-duration test flight. Technical problems with the capsule’s thrusters, however, prevented them from coming back safely. NASA therefore decided to leave them there until another return plan was established, which led to SpaceX taking over for their return flight.
Changes to Support Returning Astronauts
In order to accommodate Wilmore and Williams coming back, NASA was forced to alter the plan of crew rotations by lowering the rate at which new astronauts report for duty. Members of the Crew-9, NASA’s Nick Hague, and Russia’s Aleksandr Gorbunov, have been on board since September and will extend their term together with newly arrived members of Crew-10.
SpaceX’s Role in Human Spaceflight
SpaceX has played the leading role within NASA’s program for human spaceflight since 2020, rejuvenating America-based launches after the 2011 retirement of the space shuttle program. The missions are painstakingly tested and analyzed to serve astronauts with a protective cover.
“We won’t proceed with a launch unless we’re completely confident in the safety of the crew,” stated Ken Bowersox, head of NASA’s human spaceflight division. “Our teams continuously analyze data to confirm that the rocket is fully prepared before SpaceX initiates the launch.”
A Global Effort in Space Exploration
The historic launch points to the dedication of the world towards pushing the boundaries of space travel and global cooperation on board the ISS. As SpaceX collaborates with NASA, the secure return of Wilmore and Williams takes precedence, while the newly arrived Crew-10 astronauts carry on vital research and operations in space.
