Hydraulic Issue Delays SpaceX Crew-10 Launch, Return of Astronauts Williams and Wilmore

NASA and SpaceX have postponed the launch of the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) after detecting a hydraulic issue with ground support equipment. The mission, originally scheduled for 7:48 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 12, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, has been rescheduled for no earlier than Friday, March 14, at 7:03 p.m. ET. The Crew-10 mission aims to transport four astronauts to the ISS: NASA astronauts Anne McClain (Commander) and Nichole Ayers (Pilot), Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi of JAXA, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos. The mission is significant as it will initiate the process of returning NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to Earth after an extended stay aboard the ISS. Williams and Wilmore have been on the ISS for nine months, far exceeding their planned mission duration due to problems with their spacecraft that delayed their return. The Crew-10 mission will provide the necessary crew rotation to facilitate their long-awaited return. The postponement was prompted by a hydraulic issue with a ground support clamp arm for the Falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX and NASA teams are working to resolve the issue, and the next launch attempt is scheduled for March 14, pending favorable weather conditions and resolution of technical concerns.