Falcon 9 Launch Scrubbed, Stranded Astronauts' Return Delayed Again | WPN World People News

SpaceX's Falcon 9 launch for the Crew-10 mission was abruptly called off due to technical issues, further delaying the return of astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for over nine months.

According to foreign media reports, the Crew-10 mission was originally scheduled to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:48 PM local time on the 12th (7:48 AM Taipei time on the 13th). The Falcon 9 rocket was set to carry the Crew Dragon spacecraft with four astronauts to the ISS while also bringing back the Crew-9 astronauts along with Wilmore and Williams, who have been stuck on the space station for over nine months.

However, just about 45 minutes before liftoff, the launch team detected an anomaly in the ground hydraulic system, leading to the mission's cancellation. NASA launch commentator Derrol Nail noted that the rocket and spacecraft themselves were in good condition. SpaceX announced that the next launch attempt is scheduled for the evening of the 13th local time, with a backup window on the evening of the 14th.

Wilmore and Williams originally arrived at the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June 2023. Due to propulsion system issues, they were temporarily housed on the ISS for safety reasons. Their mission was initially planned to last only eight days, but repeated delays have extended their stay to over nine months, making their return journey an ongoing challenge.