A mission aimed at bringing home two astronauts who have been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for far longer than intended is now in limbo after SpaceX aborted the planned launch. While the delay may only last a couple of days, the incident reignites attention on previous controversies surrounding the mission’s timeline and public statements made by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
Ground System Fault Forces Scrubbed Launch
NASA and SpaceX announced that the Crew-10 launch to the ISS, scheduled for March 12, had to be scrubbed due to a hydraulic system issue in a ground support clamp arm at Launch Complex 39A, Kennedy Space Center. NASA confirmed in a blog update that “high winds and precipitation forecasted in the flight path of Dragon” were also contributing factors to the delay. The launch is now targeting no earlier than Friday, March 14.
Although launch delays are not uncommon in space missions, this incident has drawn added scrutiny given its backdrop—two astronauts, Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore, who have been stationed on the ISS since June 2024, are still awaiting return after their ride home faced several complications.
From Starliner Setbacks to SpaceX Intervention
Williams and Wilmore initially arrived at the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner on its first crewed mission. Though the journey was a milestone for Boeing, the spacecraft ran into trouble when thrusters malfunctioned during docking maneuvers, casting doubts on the safety of its return capabilities. As a precaution, NASA decided not to bring the astronauts back on the same spacecraft.
Despite concerns that Starliner might not withstand reentry, it eventually returned safely in September 2024—without the astronauts. NASA’s decision to keep the crew on board while it reassessed options led to the current plan: bringing them back aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon as part of the Crew-10 rotation mission.
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Elon Musk’s Controversial Commentary
Rather than celebrating SpaceX’s involvement in a successful retrieval mission, Elon Musk fueled controversy by claiming political motives delayed the return of the astronauts. He alleged that the Biden administration had rejected an earlier offer from him to bring Williams and Wilmore back, supposedly due to his political affiliations. The claim drew backlash from the astronaut community and space policy experts alike.
Former ISS commander Andreas Morgan publicly rejected Musk’s claims, labeling them false. Musk responded by hurling a slur at Morgan, further escalating tensions. Senators Scott and Mark Kelly, both former astronauts, criticized Musk’s remarks. Mark Kelly, now representing Arizona, was later called a “traitor” by Musk in a social media post.
NASA and Astronauts Refute Political Claims
NASA and the astronauts involved have categorically denied any political interference in mission planning. Barry Wilmore stated, “From my standpoint, politics is not playing into this at all.” Moreover, NASA officials clarified that no formal offer from Musk to return the astronauts had been documented or received.
The original Starliner mission was carried out under the Biden administration, and the decision to shift the return to a SpaceX mission does not support Musk’s theory of political obstruction. NASA’s priority, according to official statements, remains astronaut safety—not political affiliations.
Crowded Conditions On The ISS
As the delay continues, the ISS is dealing with increased congestion. Williams and Wilmore are still aboard, while the Crew-10 mission also aims to deliver four more astronauts: NASA’s Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos’s Kirill Peskov. Until the replacement crew can arrive and the two returning astronauts depart, conditions aboard the space station remain tight.
Next Steps For Crew-10
While Friday’s launch is currently the new target, it remains dependent on both favorable weather and successful system checks. NASA and SpaceX are expected to provide further updates once diagnostics on the hydraulic system are completed. In the meantime, the incident serves as another reminder of how complex and sensitive space missions remain—even for seasoned providers like SpaceX.
A Familiar Reality In Spaceflight
Launch delays are standard in the space industry, often driven by stringent safety protocols and environmental conditions. The difference in this case lies in the political discourse surrounding it and the extended duration that Williams and Wilmore have had to endure aboard the ISS. What was initially a routine crew rotation has now become a highly publicized mission under close scrutiny.
Whether the mission proceeds smoothly on March 14 or faces further setbacks, the priority remains the same—getting the astronauts back home safely.
