Elon Musk’s SpaceX Crew-10 Mission Triumphantly Returns Stranded NASA Astronauts
Elon Musk’s SpaceX Crew-10 Mission Triumphantly Returns Stranded NASA Astronauts
On March 16, 2025, SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), facilitating the return of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been aboard the station since June 2024 due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule.
The Crew-10 team consists of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. McClain, embarking on her second spaceflight, previously spent 204 days on the ISS during Expeditions 58 and 59. Ayers, a U.S. Air Force major, is making her inaugural journey into space. Onishi returns to the ISS after his first mission in 2016, while Peskov is on his maiden spaceflight.
After launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the Crew-10 capsule docked with the ISS approximately 29 hours later. This arrival temporarily increases the station’s crew to 11 members.
Wilmore and Williams initially departed Earth in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner for a mission expected to last just over a week. However, technical problems with the spacecraft’s propulsion system and helium leaks extended their stay. The Starliner capsule eventually returned to Earth uncrewed, leaving the two astronauts awaiting an alternative return vehicle. Their return is now anticipated in the coming days, weather permitting.
During their six-month tenure on the ISS, the Crew-10 astronauts will conduct various scientific experiments, including studies on new therapies for Parkinson’s disease and cancer. They will also test technologies to support future missions to the Moon and Mars.
The Crew-10 mission represents the 11th crewed flight by SpaceX under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, highlighting the significance of international collaboration and the growing role of private companies in space exploration.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX Crew-10 Mission Triumphantly Returns Stranded NASA Astronauts