Photo credit: www.gadgets360.com
SpaceX was compelled to cancel the Crew-10 mission launch to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 12 due to a hydraulics issue discovered just 45 minutes before the scheduled liftoff. The mission was planned to launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:48 p.m. EDT (2348 GMT) and include four astronauts aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The problem arose from a malfunction in the transporter-erector, the apparatus designed to support and transport the rocket on the launchpad. Mission commander NASA astronaut Anne McClain reassured the public that the crew would be prepared to launch once the technical difficulty was resolved, emphasizing that the Falcon 9 rocket and the Crew Dragon capsule, called Endurance, were functioning normally.
Technical Fault Identified in Transporter-Erector
The issue, as reported, stemmed from a clamp arm on the transporter-erector, which is crucial for securely holding the Falcon 9 before it is launched. Mike Ravenscroft, who manages the launch vehicle office at NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, provided insight into the malfunction’s impact on the rocket’s positioning during the release phase. Following thorough checks and evaluations, engineers from both SpaceX and NASA opted to postpone the mission in the interest of safety and reliability.
New Launch Attempt Scheduled for March 14
In the wake of this delay, NASA announced a rescheduled launch for Crew-10, set to take place on March 14 at 7:03 p.m. EDT (2303 GMT). This mission’s distinguished crew comprises NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Kirill Peskov from Roscosmos. Crew-10 is tasked with a six-month mission on the ISS, replacing the Crew-9 team, which includes astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, Barry Wilmore, and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The Crew-9 team is anticipated to return to Earth shortly after the arrival of Crew-10.
Source
www.gadgets360.com