What time is SpaceX launching tonight to rescue NASA's Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore?
ByHT News Desk
Mar 15, 2025 03:28 AM IST
SpaceX canceled the Crew-10 mission launch to retrieve astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded in space for nine months
The National Aeronautics Space Agency (Nasa) and SpaceX have stated that they would begin their Crew-10 mission to retrieve Sunita Williams and colleague astronaut Butch Wilmore on Friday at 7:03 pm EDT (Saturday, 4:30 am India time).
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been on the International Space Station since June. (AFP)
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been on the International Space Station since June. (AFP)
Shortly after SpaceX cancelled the Crew-10 mission launch from Florida's Kennedy Space Centre, which would have started Williams and Wilmore's eagerly anticipated journey down to Earth, the announcement was made.
The two had been stranded in space for nine months following a journey on Boeing's malfunctioning Starliner. They had arrived to the ISS for an eight-day visit.
A mechanical problem with one of the Falcon 9 rocket's ground support clamp arms forced the cancellation of the launch early Friday morning. After reviewing the matter, NASA subsequently declared that the next launch window would not be available before Saturday.
Also read: SpaceX delays ISS mission to bring stuck NASA astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore home
It is anticipated that Williams and Wilmore would leave the ISS after 20 March if the Crew-10 mission launches successfully this time.
A new crew of astronauts, comprising Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers from NASA, Takuya Onishi from the Japanese space agency Jaxa, and Kirill Peskov from Roscosmos, will be sent to the ISS on the Crew-10 mission.
NASA has stressed that astronaut health and safety continue to be its top concern in spite of the delays. The crew has all they need to carry out their duties securely because the space station is fully provisioned.
Also read: Sunita Williams won't be back on Earth before March 19: NASA's latest update
Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, and President Donald Trump demanded that Wilmore and Williams return earlier than NASA had originally scheduled, prompting the US space agency to advance the mission by two weeks.
Wilmore and Williams, two seasoned astronauts and US Navy test pilots, have been delayed in their eight-day planned stay aboard the orbiting station. Last year, Starliner came back to Earth without them.
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