SpaceX successfully launches crew to rescue abandoned NASA astronauts after delay
SpaceX has successfully launched the new crew to relieve two NASA astronauts stranded on the ISS after a delay earlier this week.
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SpaceX has successfully launched a new crew to relieve two NASA astronauts stranded on the International Space Station after a last-minute technical issue caused a delay earlier this week.
The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center with Crew-10 astronauts at 7.03pm on Friday US time (10.03am Saturday AEDT) to replace Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for the past nine months.
The four member replacement crew – consisting of two US astronauts and astronauts from Japan and Russia – are scheduled to arrive at the ISS on Saturday night, before Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams are expected to finally depart on March 19.
The rescue mission was delayed earlier this week after the rocket’s launch pad experienced a technical issue with just 45 minutes left on the countdown on Wednesday evening, US time.
“There was an issue with the hydraulic system on the ground side,” NASA launch commentator Derrol Nail said, adding that “everything was fine with the rocket and the spacecraft itself.”
Eight day mission turns into nine month stay
Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams have been stuck on the ISS since June last year after their Boeing Starliner ran into several issues.
The two veteran astronauts took off aboard the Starliner as part of the vessel’s first crewed mission on June 5, in what was originally meant to be eight days in orbit.
Instead, it returned to Earth empty last year with Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams now set to fly home aboard a SpaceX Dragon, which arrived at the space station in September.
The spacecraft only carried two crew members instead of the usual four to make room for Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams.
But it can only leave the space station and return to Earth after Crew-10 arrives.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will also be aboard the returning Dragon capsule.
“We came up prepared to stay long, even though we plan to stay short,” Mr Wilmore said at a press conference last week.
“That’s what your nation’s human space flight program is all about, planning for unknown, unexpected contingencies.”
The mission comes after US President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk called for the astronauts to be brought back ahead of NASA’s scheduled return date of March 26.
The pair have accused ex-president Joe Biden’s administration of abandoning the astronauts.
Mr Musk has suggested, without providing specifics, that he had offered Mr Biden a “rescue” mission outside of the routine crew rotations.
According to CBS, Mr Wilmore and Ms Williams could land back home as early as March 20 or 21 if all goes to plan.
Originally published as SpaceX successfully launches crew to rescue abandoned NASA astronauts after delay
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