SpaceX Postpones ISS Crew Swap Mission Due to Technical Issue

A hydraulic problem delayed the launch of Crew Dragon, extending the nearly ten-month wait for two astronauts stranded aboard the ISS.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore, originally scheduled for an eight-day mission, have been on the ISS since June 2024 due to issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
The Starliner returned to Earth unmanned in September 2024 after technical failures, leaving Williams and Wilmore awaiting a new return vehicle.
SpaceX's Crew Dragon mission, planned to bring a replacement crew and facilitate their return, was halted shortly before launch due to a hydraulic system issue on the ground.
No new launch date has been confirmed, though NASA and SpaceX indicate the next opportunity could be as soon as Thursday evening.
The extended stay of the astronauts has drawn political criticism, with NASA and the astronauts refuting claims they were abandoned for political reasons.