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NASA and SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-10 mission from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking a crucial step in bringing home two U.S. astronauts who have been stranded aboard the International Space Station (ISS) for nine months.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7:03 p.m. ET (2330 GMT) on Friday, carrying four astronauts to the ISS. The Crew-10 team will replace NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who were originally scheduled for an eight-day mission but remained stuck due to technical failures in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
NASA’s Efforts to Rescue Stranded Astronauts
Wilmore and Williams, both veteran astronauts and retired U.S. Navy test pilots, became the first humans to test-fly Boeing’s Starliner capsule in June last year. However, propulsion system malfunctions forced NASA to deem the spacecraft unsafe for their return journey. The capsule was ultimately sent back to Earth uncrewed in September, leaving the astronauts stranded on the ISS for months longer than planned.
With Crew-10’s arrival on Saturday night, Wilmore and Williams are now set to return to Earth on March 19. NASA and SpaceX coordinated the mission to ensure a safe and timely return for the two astronauts.
Watch:
Liftoff of Crew-10! pic.twitter.com/OOLMFQgA52
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2025
Crew-10 Astronauts and Mission Details
The Crew-10 team consists of four astronauts from multiple space agencies:
- Commander Anne McClain (USA, NASA)
- Pilot Nichole Ayers (USA, NASA)
- Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov (Russia, Roscosmos)
- Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi (Japan, JAXA)
Their mission includes a six-month stay on the ISS, where they will conduct scientific experiments, technology demonstrations, and maintenance tasks. This routine crew rotation ensures continuous human presence aboard the space station.
Crew-10 is go for launch! pic.twitter.com/xyQzIJ7Abf
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 14, 2025
Successful Launch After Delay
The Crew-10 launch was initially scheduled for Wednesday but was postponed due to a last-minute issue with the rocket’s ground systems. Following the resolution of the technical problem, NASA confirmed that all conditions were optimal for Friday’s launch.
Once Crew-10 reaches the ISS, Wilmore and Williams will prepare for their long-awaited return to Earth. Their journey back will mark the conclusion of a historic yet challenging mission, highlighting the risks and resilience associated with human spaceflight. As NASA continues to advance its space exploration programs, the lessons learned from the Starliner incident will play a critical role in shaping the future of commercial crew missions.
