NASA delays return of stranded ISS astronauts until March due to SpaceX Crew-10 postponement

Home
»
Stories
»
2024
»
December

GLOBAL INDUSTRY NEWS

Global Industry News

NASA delays return of stranded ISS astronauts until March due to SpaceX Crew-10 postponement

Policy

Simple Flying | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Dec 18, 2024

NASA has announced that astronauts Barry E. Wilmore and Sunita Williams will remain on the International Space Station (ISS) longer than planned due to a delay in the SpaceX Crew-10 mission. The astronauts were left stranded after their original Boeing Starliner capsule returned to Earth without them following safety concerns.

The Crew-10 mission, which was initially scheduled for February 2025, is now expected to launch no earlier than March 2025. The delay allows additional time for final testing and integration of the new spacecraft. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, stated, "Fabrication, assembly, testing, and final integration of a new spacecraft is a painstaking endeavor that requires great attention to detail."

Once Crew-10 arrives at the ISS, it will bring back NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. These crew members are part of the Crew-9 mission.

Get the Newsletter

Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News

By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

Crew-10 will carry four astronauts: Anne McClain as commander, Nichole Ayers as pilot, Takuya Onishi as mission specialist 1 from Japan's JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency), and Kirill Peskov as mission specialist 2 from Russia's Roscosmos.

This mission marks the tenth operational flight under NASA's Commercial Crew Program and is expected to be the last new Dragon cargo spacecraft unless SpaceX decides otherwise. So far, twelve Dragon 2 capsules have been built with eight remaining operational.

Dragon 2 capsules are launched on Falcon 9 Block 5 rockets and serve as replacements for the retired Space Shuttle. The Boeing Starliner is intended to complement these missions once certified by NASA.

In parallel developments, SpaceX continues work on its Starship vehicle designed for missions beyond Earth's orbit including potential travel to Mars. Meanwhile, NASA's Artemis program aims to establish a permanent presence on the Moon with upcoming missions Artemis II and III slated for lunar exploration in 2026 and 2027 respectively.