Welcome to this week's NASA Update. Our top story: NASA and SpaceX have postponed the launch of the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station, originally scheduled for March 13th. The delay is due to high winds and precipitation forecasted in the flight path, as well as a hydraulic system issue with ground support equipment.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson commented, "Safety is our top priority. We'll launch when conditions are right."
The new target launch date is no earlier than 7:03 PM EDT on Friday, March 14th. This mission will send four astronauts to the ISS: NASA's Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan's Takuya Onishi, and Russia's Kirill Peskov.
In other news, NASA has released its Spinoff 2025 publication, showcasing over 40 commercial applications of NASA technologies. These innovations include a hybrid power system for drones used in disaster response and nickel-hydrogen batteries for renewable energy storage.
NASA's budget for fiscal year 2025 remains uncertain. The White House proposed $25.4 billion, a 2% increase from 2024. However, a bipartisan group of Senators has introduced a NASA authorization bill for $25.5 billion. This bill supports continued development of the Space Launch System rocket and maintaining a continuous presence in low Earth orbit.
Looking ahead, NASA's Kennedy Space Center is preparing for a busy 2025, with plans for over 90 launches from Florida's Space Coast. The center is implementing new policies to increase efficiency and flexibility in operations.
For citizens interested in space exploration, NASA is seeking design ideas for a zero gravity indicator to fly aboard the Artemis II mission. This small, plush item will provide a visual cue when the spacecraft reaches microgravity.
In closing, keep an eye on NASA's website and social media for updates on the Crew-10 launch. For those inspired by space innovation, check out the Spinoff 2025 publication to see how NASA technology is improving life on Earth.
That's all for this week's NASA Update. Stay curious and keep looking to the stars.