SpaceX on Wednesday called off the highly anticipated launch of a replacement crew bound for the International Space Station (ISS), a mission that was set to finally enable the long-overdue return of US astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams. The pair has been stuck in orbit for nine months after their journey on Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft was cut short due to technical malfunctions, leaving them unable to return on the same vehicle.
NASA had planned to launch a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying the Crew-10 team — a fresh batch of astronauts including two Americans, one Japanese astronaut, and one Russian cosmonaut. Their arrival would allow Wilmore and Williams to safely return to Earth alongside two other ISS crew members, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. However, a last-minute technical issue forced SpaceX to scrub the launch, with officials now eyeing Thursday at 7:26 p.m. EDT (2326 GMT) as the next possible window, pending a thorough review of the problem. If the new launch schedule holds, Crew-9 — the team currently aboard the ISS — will detach from the station and begin their return journey on Monday, March 17.
The situation gained political traction after President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk publicly demanded an accelerated return timeline for Wilmore and Williams. Both Trump and Musk claimed — without providing evidence — that the delay was the fault of former President Joe Biden’s administration. The unusual intervention stirred debate, as NASA's human spaceflight operations typically avoid political entanglements. Responding to the pressure, NASA advanced the Crew-10 mission by two weeks, swapping out a delayed SpaceX capsule for another one that could be made launch-ready more quickly.
Wilmore and Williams, both seasoned astronauts and former US Navy test pilots, have remained productive throughout their extended stay on the ISS. They’ve been conducting scientific experiments, performing crucial maintenance, and assisting their fellow astronauts with daily station operations. NASA has consistently reassured the public that the duo remains safe, healthy, and in high spirits despite the prolonged mission. During a March 4 media call, Williams spoke candidly about the situation, acknowledging that while she and Wilmore have been managing well, the real strain has been on their loved ones back home. "It’s been a roller coaster for them, probably a little bit more so than for us," she admitted. "We’re here, we have a mission — we’re just doing what we do every day. And every day is interesting because we’re up in space, and it’s a lot of fun. But I’m definitely looking forward to seeing my family and my dogs again."
The delay in bringing Wilmore and Williams home is more than a logistical challenge — it’s a matter of maintaining ISS operations. NASA has emphasized that the astronauts cannot leave until the new Crew-10 team arrives, ensuring enough US astronauts remain onboard to oversee critical systems, conduct experiments, and handle unexpected issues that might arise. Once Crew-10 safely docks with the station, Wilmore, Williams, Hague, and Gorbunov will board the Crew Dragon capsule that has been docked to the station since September as part of Crew-9’s mission and finally make their long-awaited return to Earth.
Wilmore and Williams originally launched to the ISS last June as the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner — a significant milestone for the aerospace company, which hoped to prove the spacecraft's readiness for regular astronaut missions. However, the mission was derailed when the Starliner experienced a series of propulsion system failures and other technical glitches. NASA deemed the vehicle too unsafe for a crewed return trip, forcing the agency to rely on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon instead.
The setback was yet another blow to Boeing, which has faced repeated engineering problems, software errors, and financial overruns with the Starliner project since 2019. Boeing was awarded a $4.5 billion contract from NASA to develop the spacecraft, intended to compete with SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule, which was developed under a similar $4 billion contract. While Crew Dragon has flown multiple successful missions since its debut in 2020 — becoming NASA’s primary method for ferrying astronauts to and from the ISS — Starliner has lagged far behind, completing only one uncrewed test flight before its botched crewed mission last year.
Boeing’s difficulties have not only damaged the company’s reputation but have also left NASA with limited options for crewed spaceflight from US soil. The Starliner delays underscore how SpaceX has increasingly become NASA’s go-to partner for human space missions — a dynamic that further fueled Musk’s vocal criticism of Boeing and the Biden administration.
For Wilmore and Williams, the Crew-10 launch represents more than just a routine crew rotation — it’s a long-awaited rescue mission. Their resilience and professionalism during this prolonged, unexpected stay have earned widespread admiration within the space community and beyond. If all goes according to plan, their return will mark the end of an unplanned saga that highlighted both the triumphs and challenges of modern space exploration — a journey marked by human perseverance, corporate rivalry, political interference, and the unforgiving realities of technology in space.
