New Delhi

SpaceX has postponed the launch of its Falcon 9 rocket, which was scheduled to carry a crew of four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and return the "stranded" NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.

The launch, originally planned for today from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, was scrubbed less than an hour before liftoff due to a hydraulic system issue with a ground support clamp arm on the rocket.

NASA and SpaceX confirmed the delay of the Crew-10 mission, which was intended to replace Williams and Wilmore aboard the ISS. The postponement was caused by a technical problem with one of the support arms holding the Falcon 9 rocket at Launch Complex 39A.

SpaceX posted on social media, saying, “Standing down from tonight’s launch opportunity of @NASA's Crew-10 mission to the @Space_Station,” confirming the scrubbed launch.

Despite the setback, SpaceX and NASA are optimistic that the mission can still launch within the next two days. New launch windows are available on Thursday and Friday, and if the hydraulic issue is resolved, the mission could lift off later this week.

The Crew-10 mission was set to carry NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, along with Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, to replace Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.

The astronauts aboard the Dragon spacecraft have safely exited, and the rocket is secure.

The mission’s delay impacts the timely return of Williams and Wilmore, whose stay on the ISS has been extended due to the technical issues. NASA had factored in a quick turnaround for the SpaceX Crew Dragon to minimise consumable use at the ISS, making a prompt launch essential for continued station operations.