SpaceX Sends Crew-10 to Replace Astronauts at the International Space Station

MERRITT ISLAND, Fla.—On March 14, another SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ascended into the twilight sky over Florida’s east coast, launching NASA’s (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for a duration of four months, marking the commencement of the 73rd long-duration liveaboard mission in nearly 25 years.

Aboard SpaceX’s Dragon “Endurance” are NASA astronaut and active-duty Army Colonel Anne McClain (Crew-10 commander), NASA astronaut and U.S. Air Force Major Nichole Ayers (pilot), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi (mission specialist), and Russian Roscosmos Cosmonaut Kirill Peskov (mission specialist).

They are set to dock with the space station around 11:30 p.m. on March 15. Their arrival will initiate the final countdown for the return of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.

Initially scheduled for an eight-day mission, Wilmore and Williams have extended their stay to over nine months due to technical malfunctions encountered during their Boeing CST-100 Starliner test flight, which left them stranded on the ISS.

The launch was delayed by two days after a hydraulic issue was detected on one of the clamp arms securing the rocket, resulting in a scrub on March 12. NASA subsequently determined that the first backup launch attempt on March 13 would also be postponed due to predicted precipitation and high winds along the spacecraft’s flight path.

Despite some controversy regarding their prolonged presence, NASA officials emphasized that they made the best possible decision considering equipment availability and the necessity to maintain ongoing ISS mission objectives.

Wilmore and Williams have integrated into the resident Expedition 72 crew, with Williams even assuming the role of ISS commander until March 7. Meanwhile, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov launched a unique two-person team for Crew-9, outfitting the spacecraft with custom seats for Williams and Wilmore, in addition to extra spacesuits for re-entry.

Crew-9 successfully docked with the ISS on September 29, 2024, meaning Williams and Wilmore have had their return trip ready for several months. Nonetheless, they faced a larger objective that required their focus as part of Expedition 72.

Now, along with Hague and Gorbunov, they will soon conclude their responsibilities, subject to a multi-day “handover” with Crew-10, which involves briefing and training their successors to carry on ongoing experiments and maintenance. This transition, typically a five-day process, will be condensed to two.

All four seats on the Crew-9 Dragon capsule will be occupied for the return journey, which will splash down off the Florida coast, with a possible return no earlier than March 19, although this date is subject to weather conditions.

This marks the second visit to the ISS for McClain and Onishi, with Onishi set to become the third Japanese astronaut to lead the orbiting laboratory. Meanwhile, Ayers and Peskov will be embarking on their first journey to space, with Ayers being the first from her astronaut class to do so.

Ayers, McClain, Onishi, and Peskov will initially join Expedition 72, working alongside the resident Soyuz crew comprising cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin, who took command following Williams, Ivan Vagner, and NASA astronaut Don Pettit.

Expedition missions to the ISS traditionally transition with the arrival and departure of Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Thus, Expedition 73 will officially commence when NASA Astronaut Jonny Kim and Roscosmos cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky arrive, despite the mission’s first commander, Onishi, already being present.

The next Soyuz mission is anticipated to launch from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan as early as April 8.

During their time on the station, Crew-10 will engage in technical and physiological experiments. This includes testing backup lunar navigation software using existing station hardware, communicating with students via onboard ham radio, and studying the physical and mental effects of prolonged spaceflight on the human body.

Specifically, crew members will participate in a study named “Drain Brain 2.0,” which investigates blood flow from the brain to the heart in microgravity and may help identify how the body maintains proper circulation despite the absence of gravity. The findings could be beneficial for both future astronauts and individuals on Earth experiencing cardiovascular problems.

McClain will also take part in NASA’s Complement of Integrated Protocols for Human Exploration Research (CIPHER) study, contributing to the investigation of physiological and psychological changes experienced in space.

She expressed particular excitement about the human sciences aspect of the mission and how the insights gained could support humanity’s evolution in space exploration.

“We don’t acquire knowledge about the human body in space unless astronauts volunteer for those experiments,” she stated. “I am thrilled to, you know, contribute my body to science.”

Upon concluding their mission, Crew-10 is set to become the first mission to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the Southern California coast. SpaceX is establishing three new recovery zones near Los Angeles, Oceanside, and San Diego, with its recovery vessel, “Shannon,” operating from Long Beach.

McClain has logged over 200 days in space, including 13 hours and 8 minutes of spacewalk time during her previous mission to the ISS, contributing to the legacy of maintaining a continuous human presence in space for nearly a quarter of a century.

NASA is set to commemorate this 25-year milestone in November.

According to Ken Bowersox, associate administrator of the Space Operations Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington, the agency aims to continue its missions to the ISS with commercial and international partners until 2030. A modified SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is contracted for a controlled descent into the atmosphere at that time.

However, at present, Russia has only agreed to continue its collaboration with the United States until 2028.