Washington: NASA has adjusted its upcoming spaceflight schedule, swapping out the astronaut capsule set for the next mission to the International Space Station (ISS). The move allows for an earlier return of two astronauts who have remained aboard the station far longer than planned due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
The U.S. space agency announced that mission management teams decided to use a previously flown SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, named Endeavor, for the Crew-10 mission instead of a newly built one. The production of the new capsule has been delayed, prompting the change.
This decision advances the Crew-10 launch date to March 12, instead of the original target of March 25. However, NASA stated that it still needs to conduct a flight readiness assessment for Endeavor, which has been used on three prior missions.
Starliner Astronauts Await Return
The return of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who traveled to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule last summer, has been contingent on the arrival of Crew-10’s four-person team. This ensures that the station maintains its full complement of American crew members.
The decision follows former President Donald Trump’s public call last month for SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to bring Wilmore and Williams back to Earth “as soon as possible.” Trump’s remarks added political weight to an already complex situation, despite NASA’s previously established plans.
NASA later reaffirmed its commitment to bringing the astronauts home “as soon as practical,” but in its latest statement, the agency did not explicitly link the capsule switch to Trump’s demand.
“Human spaceflight is full of unexpected challenges,” said Steve Stich, head of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, in a statement praising SpaceX’s flexibility.
Political and Industry Reactions
Trump’s involvement marked an unusual intervention in NASA’s meticulous spaceflight planning. He blamed the astronauts’ extended stay on his successor, President Joe Biden, despite Biden having no direct involvement in the program. Musk echoed Trump’s stance, further politicizing the issue, despite SpaceX’s active role in assisting NASA with the ongoing Starliner challenges.
The capsule switch is expected to disrupt SpaceX’s upcoming Fram2 private astronaut mission, which was slated to use Endeavor for a polar-orbiting flight.
“We’ve lost the South Pole in the daylight,” Maltese crypto entrepreneur Chun Wang, the mission’s commander, wrote on X, adding a sad-face emoji in response to the change. The mission will now utilize a different Crew Dragon capsule.
Also Read | Netanyahu Threatens to End Gaza Ceasefire if Hostages Are Not Released by Saturday
Additionally, the schedule shift will likely impact Axiom Space’s planned Crew Dragon flight, which aims to transport government astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary. Houston-based Axiom, which arranges private and governmental spaceflights using Crew Dragon, has not yet commented on the situation.
NASA’s Commercial Spaceflight Push
SpaceX developed its Crew Dragon capsule under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, receiving approximately $3 billion in funding. The initiative aims to promote private-sector involvement in human spaceflight, fostering competition and reducing costs.
Also Read | Trump’s Crypto Venture Expands with New Token Reserve Initiative
Boeing’s Starliner, which returned to Earth in September without Wilmore and Williams, was also developed under the same program but has faced persistent engineering setbacks. The extended stay of the Starliner crew has highlighted these challenges, placing additional scrutiny on Boeing’s role in the future of NASA’s human spaceflight missions.
