A hydraulics issue forced SpaceX to call off the scheduled launch of its Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 12, just 45 minutes before liftoff. The mission, carrying four astronauts, was set to depart aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:48 p.m. EDT (2348 GMT). The problem was traced to a malfunction in the transporter-erector, the structure responsible for moving and supporting the rocket on the launchpad. NASA astronaut Anne McClain, the mission commander, addressed the situation, stating that the crew would be ready once the issue was resolved. No faults were reported with the Falcon 9 rocket or the Crew Dragon capsule, named Endurance.
Technical Fault Identified in Transporter-Erector
As reported, according to NASA, the detected issue involved a clamp arm on the transporter-erector, which plays a critical role in securing the rocket before liftoff. Mike Ravenscroft, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program launch vehicle office manager, explained that the concern was related to how the Falcon 9 is held in place at the time of release. SpaceX and NASA engineers conducted assessments before deciding to postpone the mission.
New Launch Attempt Scheduled for March 14
Following the delay, NASA confirmed that another attempt to launch Crew-10 is planned for March 14 at 7:03 p.m. EDT (2303 GMT). The four-member team includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency’s (JAXA) Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. The mission aims to transport the crew to the ISS for a six-month stay, replacing the Crew-9 team, which includes astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, and Barry Wilmore, along with cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The Crew-9 team is expected to return to Earth shortly after Crew-10 arrives.
