NASA has swapped the capsule for its upcoming Crew-10 mission, using a previously flown SpaceX Crew Dragon instead of a delayed new one. The move brings forward the launch date to March 12, allowing an earlier return for two astronauts stranded aboard the ISS.
NASA announced on Tuesday that it will use Endeavor, a veteran Crew Dragon capsule, for its Crew-10 mission instead of a new capsule delayed in production. The change accelerates the launch by nearly two weeks, from March 25 to March 12, pending a flight readiness review.
The decision is tied to the return of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been on the ISS far longer than expected after flying there on Boeing’s troubled Starliner capsule last summer. Their return hinges on Crew-10’s arrival to maintain normal staffing levels.
The move follows President Donald Trump’s demand last month that SpaceX CEO Elon Musk bring Wilmore and Williams home "as soon as possible." Trump blamed his predecessor Joe Biden for the situation, though Biden had no involvement. Musk, publicly siding with Trump, echoed the blame despite SpaceX’s direct involvement in NASA’s commercial spaceflight efforts.
NASA has denied political influence over its decision, stating that "human spaceflight is full of unexpected challenges", and praised SpaceX’s flexibility in adjusting its schedule.
đ IMPACTS ON PRIVATE SPACE MISSIONS
The Crew-10 change affects other SpaceX missions, particularly the private Fram2 astronaut mission, which had planned to use the Endeavor capsule for a polar orbit mission. Mission commander Chun Wang, a Maltese crypto entrepreneur, reacted with disappointment, writing on X: "We've lost the South Pole in the daylight" đ˘. The mission will now rely on another Crew Dragon in SpaceX’s fleet.
The shift also disrupts Axiom’s upcoming mission, set to fly government astronauts from India, Poland, and Hungary aboard a Crew Dragon. Houston-based Axiom Space has yet to comment on the impact.
đ STARLINER: NASA’S TROUBLED PARTNER
SpaceX developed Crew Dragon under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program with nearly $3 billion in funding to make spaceflight more commercially viable. However, Boeing’s Starliner, part of the same program, has faced repeated engineering challenges.
Starliner returned to Earth in September—without Wilmore and Williams—further highlighting its technical issues. NASA has not yet confirmed when the capsule will be deemed fit for future crewed missions.
With SpaceX stepping in again, the Crew-10 mission is now set for March 12, bringing the stranded astronauts one step closer to Earth. đ
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