Four Astronauts Await Friday Launch to the International Space Station
Four astronauts are eagerly anticipating Friday as their potential launch day to the International Space Station (ISS). The crew, which includes two NASA astronauts, one from Japan, and one from Russia, was fully prepared to embark on their journey on Wednesday. They had suited up and boarded the SpaceX spacecraft atop a Falcon 9 rocket at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. However, with less than 45 minutes left in the countdown, the mission was called off due to a hydraulic issue with a clamp arm that holds the rocket in place before liftoff. The problem could not be resolved in time, delaying the launch.
Weather Challenges and Next Launch Opportunity
The weather along the launch path was uncertain on Thursday, pushing the next possible launch to Friday. Friday’s mission is part of a routine crew rotation at the ISS, but it has garnered extra attention because it will finally allow two NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, to return to Earth. Their initial visit to the ISS in June 2023 was supposed to be brief but has now stretched to over nine months due to unforeseen circumstances. The delay from Wednesday’s scrubbed launch has further extended their stay by at least two more days.
Crew-10 Mission Details
The mission, named Crew-10, is the 10th such mission by SpaceX to ferry astronauts to and from the ISS. The four astronauts are scheduled to launch at 7:03 p.m. Eastern Time on Friday. NASA will provide live coverage of the launch starting at 3 p.m., which can be viewed online. At the launchpad, the astronauts are now strapped in and performing prelaunch checks. The side hatch was closed at 4:50 p.m., and the mission control team confirmed the rocket’s readiness for launch around 6:15 p.m. Fueling of the rocket with propellants began about 35 minutes before the launch, and forecasts indicate a 95% chance of favorable weather.
A backup launch opportunity is available on Saturday at 6:41 p.m., but the weather conditions are less promising, with only a 50% chance of favorable conditions and expected wind.
The Crew of Crew-10
The Crew-10 mission is led by NASA’s Anne McClain, who serves as the commander, and Nichole Ayers of NASA, who is the pilot. The other two crew members are Takuya Onishi of JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos (Russian space agency). This will be the first spaceflight for Ms. Ayers and Mr. Peskov, while Ms. McClain and Mr. Onishi are embarking on their second spaceflight.
The Extended Stay of Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, two NASA astronauts, have been on the ISS since June 2023. Their initial mission was a test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, but due to propulsion issues, NASA decided not to return them to Earth in the Starliner. Instead, the spacecraft undocked from the ISS in early September and successfully landed in New Mexico without any issues.
NASA then had to find alternative arrangements for Williams and Wilmore’s return. The next available spacecraft was the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule from the Crew-9 mission. However, returning them immediately would have left the ISS understaffed, disrupting scientific experiments and maintenance operations. Therefore, NASA decided to have Williams and Wilmore stay on the ISS and await the arrival of the Crew-10 mission.
Return Plans and Reflections
If the Crew-10 mission launches successfully on Friday, it will dock at the ISS late on Saturday. The astronauts from Crew-9 and Crew-10 will overlap for a few days, after which Williams and Wilmore, along with two other astronauts, will board the Crew-9 spacecraft and head back to Earth. Their return journey is tentatively scheduled for as early as March 19, depending on weather conditions at the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida.
In a recent interview, Williams and Wilmore reflected on their extended stay in orbit. While they acknowledged the challenges, they emphasized that their experience has been anything but “stranded” or “abandoned.” “It’s work,” Wilmore said. “It’s wonderful enjoyment. It’s been fun. It’s been trying at times, no doubt. But stranded? No. Stuck? No. Abandoned? No.” Both astronauts, who are in their late 50s and early 60s, realize that this might be their final spaceflight, and they are savoring every moment of their time in space. “We’re heading home,” Williams said. “And it makes you really want to enjoy every bit of your time that you have up here.”
This mission highlights the resilience and adaptability of astronauts and the complexities of space exploration. While delays and challenges are inevitable, the determination of the crew and the collaboration between space agencies like NASA, SpaceX, JAXA, and Roscosmos continue to push the boundaries of human achievement in space.
