To Infinity and Beyond, SpaceX and NASA gear up for Friday’s astronaut launch and return

NASA and SpaceX are scheduled to launch a crewed rocket on Friday, a mission that will enable the return of U.S. astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts have been on the ISS for nine months due to issues with Boeing (NYSE:BA)’s Starliner spacecraft.

The mission, named Crew-10, was initially planned for Wednesday. However, a last-minute issue with the rocket’s ground systems forced a delay. The launch is now set for 7:03 p.m. ET on Friday (2330GMT). The Crew-10’s arrival to the ISS on Saturday night will facilitate the return of Wilmore and Williams, two veteran NASA astronauts and U.S. Navy test pilots.

In June 2024, Wilmore and Williams were the first humans to test-fly Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft to the ISS. However, problems with Starliner’s propulsion system during its flight to the ISS extended what was supposed to be an eight-day stay. NASA deemed it too risky for the astronauts to fly home on the Boeing craft, leading to the current plan to bring them home in a SpaceX capsule.

The mission previously had a target date of March 26, but NASA swapped a delayed SpaceX capsule with a different one that would be ready sooner.

Upon the new crew’s arrival, Wilmore, Williams, NASA astronaut Nick Hague, and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will be able to return to Earth in a capsule that has been attached to the station since September, as part of the prior Crew-9 mission.

If Crew-10 launches as planned on Friday, it will dock to the ISS at 11:30 pm on Saturday, followed by a traditional handover ceremony allowing for the Crew-9 crew’s departure on March 19. NASA has stated that Wilmore and Williams cannot leave until the new Crew-10 craft arrives to ensure the ISS is staffed with enough U.S. astronauts for maintenance.