arrival of Crew-10 will facilitate the return of two stranded astronauts at the ISS
WATCH LIVE: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Manned Mission Successfully Launch Friday at 7:03 p.m. From Kennedy Space Center.
BREVARD COUNTY • KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLORIDA – On March 14, at 7:03 p.m. EDT, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission successfully launched from Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39A in Florida.
The mission carries four astronauts: Commander Anne McClain and Pilot Nichole Ayers from NASA, Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov from Russia’s Roscosmos.
This mission faced previous delays due to technical issues, including a hydraulic problem at the launch pad, which were resolved prior to liftoff.
The Crew-10 astronauts are scheduled to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) on March 15, 2025, increasing the station’s population to 11. Their six-month mission will focus on scientific research, including studies related to Parkinson’s disease and cancer, as well as testing technologies for future lunar and Martian exploration.
The arrival of Crew-10 will facilitate the return of four current ISS crew members: NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, who have been aboard the station for nine months due to delays with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, and NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
The extended stay of Wilmore and Williams has provided unique research opportunities to better understand the effects of prolonged space missions on the human body, which can inform treatments for patients on Earth.
This launch marks SpaceX’s 11th astronaut transport mission for NASA, underscoring the ongoing collaboration between public and private sectors in advancing human space exploration.
The initial launch attempt on Wednesday, March 12, was scrubbed approximately 44 minutes before liftoff.
The delay was attributed to a problem with the hydraulics on one of the clamps on the strongback that restrains and stabilizes the second stage of the Falcon 9 rocket while it stands vertically on the launch pad before launch.
The Crew-10 mission aims to transport four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS): Commander Anne McClain and Pilot Nichole Ayers from NASA, Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), and Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov from Russia’s Roscosmos. This mission will mark McClain’s second spaceflight and the first for Ayers and Peskov.
A primary objective of Crew-10 is to facilitate the return of NASA astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, who have been aboard the ISS since June 2024.
Originally slated for a brief mission, their stay was extended due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, necessitating reliance on SpaceX’s Crew Dragon for their return.
SpaceX and NASA stood down from Wednesday’s Falcon 9’s launch of Dragon’s 10th operational human spaceflight mission (Crew-10) to the International Space Station from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew NASA’s Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions to and from the space station. This will be the second flight for the first stage booster supporting this mission, which previously launched the SES 03b mPOWER-e mission. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
During their time on the orbiting laboratory, the crew will conduct new research to prepare for human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit and to benefit humanity on Earth.
The crew will travel aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft “Endurance” (serial number C210), which is making its fourth flight. Endurance previously supported the Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions.
Originally, Crew-10 was to debut a new Crew Dragon capsule. However, to expedite the mission and facilitate the timely return of current ISS astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, NASA and SpaceX opted to reuse “Endurance.”
This decision advanced the launch schedule, allowing Wilmore and Williams, who have been on the ISS since June 2024 due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and, some say, political reasons, to return to Earth sooner.
The Crew-10 team, consisting of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, will travel to the ISS aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, Endurance.
This spacecraft, already proven on previous missions, was selected after delays in constructing a new Crew Dragon due to battery-related issues.
Upon Crew-10’s arrival, Wilmore and Williams will board the Crew-9 Dragon capsule alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov for their long-awaited journey back to Earth. This transition is expected to take place swiftly, with Crew-10 overlapping with Crew-9 for only a few days.
Reflecting on the significance of international collaboration in space exploration, McClain highlighted the upcoming 50th anniversary of the Apollo-Soyuz mission, emphasizing the importance of global partnerships in space endeavors.
As the ISS transitions from Expedition 72 to Expedition 73, Williams has officially passed command to cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, who will later hand over the role to Onishi after Crew-10’s arrival.
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