NASA and SpaceX Postpone Crew-10 Launch to March 14, Crew-9 Return to March 19

New Delhi: NASA and SpaceX have postponed the launch of the Crew-10 mission to no earlier than 7:03 p.m. EDT on Friday, March 14, 2025 (4:33 a.m. IST on March 15). The launch, which was originally scheduled for March 13, was delayed because of weather issues, such as strong winds and rain along the path of the Dragon spacecraft. This move is meant to guarantee the safety of the launch, with NASA giving precedence to perfect conditions for the mission.

Apart from weather issues, engineers have been working on a mechanical problem with the Falcon 9 rocket. The problem concerns a hydraulic system malfunction with the ground support clamp arm at Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. As the issue is being fixed, the choice was made to move the launch to the new date to give time for both weather to clear up and technical repairs.

The four-person Crew-10 mission comprises NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. These astronauts continue to stay at the Astronaut Crew Quarters at Kennedy Space Center as they wait for the revised launch.

The crew is scheduled to arrive at the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, March 16, at around 9:00 a.m. IST, provided the launch goes ahead as scheduled. The Crew-10 mission is a significant milestone for NASA and SpaceX, representing the 10th operational crew rotation mission on SpaceX’s human spaceflight program. The mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, a public-private partnership aimed at maintaining a presence in space by collaborating with private industry partners such as SpaceX.

In other news, the astronauts’ return in the Crew-9 as well has been impacted by the postponement. Previously slated for March 13, the return of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, along with Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, is now being rescheduled for “no earlier than Wednesday, March 19.” The return date will depend on good weather at splashdown locations off Florida’s coast.

The Crew-9 astronauts have been on board the ISS for an extended stay as part of NASA’s regular dedication to conducting scientific research in space. Returning is the sign that another page has been filled in NASA’s partnership with its international space community.

NASA will offer live launch coverage of Crew-10 beginning at 3:00 p.m. EDT on March 14 on NASA+. The livestream will provide real-time updates and information about the preparations for the next mission. Assuming that weather permits and the technical problem is fixed, the Crew-10 mission is likely to go smoothly, building on NASA’s long history of partnership with SpaceX in developing human spaceflight capabilities.

This postponement of launch is a testament to the value of safety when exploring space, especially in the launch of crewed missions. Through further improvements in their processes and responses to unexpected issues, NASA and SpaceX affirm their collaboration as a key factor in upholding United States human spaceflight leadership.

For additional information on the mission and space exploration, audiences can watch NASA’s official coverage, available online.