NASA Crew-10 mission successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday morning, marking a key step toward bringing astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft carrying the Crew-10 team reached the ISS around 9:40 AM IST, following a fast-tracked schedule to ensure the smooth return of Crew-9 astronauts.
The new four-member crew includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, along with Japan’s Takuya Onishi and Russia’s Kirill Peskov.
NASA Crew-10 Successfully Docks at ISS
NASA Crew-10 mission successfully reached the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday morning, marking an important step in the return journey of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. The mission was launched aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and docked with the ISS at around 9:40 AM IST. This mission followed a fast-tracked schedule to ensure that the Crew-9 astronauts could return to Earth without delay.
NASA Crew-10 team consists of four astronauts from different countries. NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers are part of the team, along with Takuya Onishi from Japan and Kirill Peskov from Russia. Their arrival at the ISS ensures that operations on the space station continue smoothly while the previous crew prepares for their journey back home.
Also Read: SpaceX Postpones Mission to Return Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore
NASA Crew-10 Joins Expedition 72
After a successful autonomous docking, closely monitored by both the spacecraft crew and the ISS team, the new astronauts were warmly welcomed aboard the International Space Station (ISS). They will spend the next six months handling key operations and research aboard the station.
Crew-10 is now part of the Expedition 72 team, which includes NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Don Petitt, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner. With their arrival, the ISS crew count has temporarily risen to 11. However, after a scheduled handover, Crew-9 mission members Hague, Williams, Wilmore, and Gorbunov will return to Earth.
For Williams and Wilmore, this marks the final leg of an unexpectedly extended mission. Originally, they launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule on June 5, 2024, for a short-term test flight. However, due to technical issues, their stay in orbit was prolonged.
NASA Astronauts Face Delays
Helium leaks and thruster malfunctions made the original spacecraft unsafe for return, forcing NASA and Boeing to launch months-long investigations. Eventually, they decided to bring the Starliner back without a crew.
With their return postponed, NASA arranged for the astronauts to travel home aboard a SpaceX flight. However, additional delays, including required battery repairs on the new SpaceX capsule, pushed their departure to mid-March. To speed up their return, NASA opted to use a previously flown Dragon capsule for NASA Crew-10’s launch.
The prolonged stay of the astronauts sparked political debate, with former U.S. President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk weighing in on the delays. Both pledged to fast-track the mission, with Trump even blaming the previous administration for NASA’s operational setbacks.
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FAQs
Q.1. What is NASA Crew-10 mission?
Ans. Crew-10 is a NASA mission launched aboard SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft to the ISS, facilitating the return of Crew-9 astronauts, including Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.
Q.2. Why was the return of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore delayed?
Ans. Their return was delayed due to helium leaks and thruster malfunctions in the Starliner capsule, forcing NASA to arrange an alternative SpaceX flight.
Q.3. Who are the astronauts in the NASA Crew-10 mission?
Ans. Crew-10 includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russia’s Kirill Peskov.
Q.4. What caused additional delays in the return mission?
Ans. Required battery repairs on the new SpaceX capsule further postponed their return, leading NASA to use a previously flown Dragon capsule for Crew-10’s launch.
Q.5. Why did Crew-10’s arrival at the ISS gain political attention?
Ans. The extended stay of Crew-9 astronauts sparked political debate, with former U.S. President Donald Trump and Elon Musk commenting on NASA’s delays and operational challenges.
