NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission is one step closer to liftoff as the four-member astronaut team arrived in Florida on Friday. The crew is set to embark on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard a SpaceX Dragon capsule, with launch preparations now in full swing.
Crew-10 Arrives at Kennedy Space Center
Following a two-hour flight, NASA astronauts Anne McClain (commander) and Nichole Ayers (pilot), alongside mission specialists Takuya Onishi from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Kirill Peskov from Roscosmos, touched down at the Launch and Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The team landed at approximately 2:45 p.m. EST, stepping off a white-and-blue NASA Gulfstream V jet to greet assembled media and agency officials.
Dressed in their signature blue flight suits, the crew will now enter a preflight quarantine phase at the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building. This crucial step ensures their health and safety ahead of their scheduled launch.
Final Preparations Underway
Simultaneously, representatives from NASA, SpaceX, and international partners are conducting a Flight Readiness Review to assess the preparedness of SpaceX’s crew transportation system, the space station, and all mission participants. This review will determine whether the mission remains on track for its targeted launch date.
Crew-10 is slated to lift off at 7:48 p.m. EDT on Wednesday from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. The mission will be propelled by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Dragon Endurance spacecraft into low-Earth orbit. The astronauts are expected to reach the ISS around 10 a.m. on Thursday, where they will dock and begin a brief handover period with the outgoing Crew-9 team.
The Handover and Crew-9’s Return
Once on board, Crew-10 will work alongside the Crew-9 astronauts for approximately two days to ensure a smooth transition of operations. The Crew-9 team—consisting of NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov—will then prepare for their departure.
Crew-9’s return is currently scheduled for March 16, pending weather conditions. Their Dragon capsule is expected to splash down off the Florida coast, marking the conclusion of their extended mission.
A Long-Awaited Ride Home for Wilmore and Williams
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams have spent an extended period aboard the ISS due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which suffered thruster malfunctions and helium leaks during its June 4 launch. Initially, Starliner was supposed to bring them back, but the spacecraft returned to Earth unmanned, leaving them to continue their mission as part of the Crew-9 rotation. With Crew-10’s arrival, Wilmore and Williams will finally have a ride home aboard the departing Crew-9 Dragon capsule.
Looking Ahead
With Crew-10’s imminent launch, NASA and its international partners continue to strengthen their collaborative efforts in space exploration. This mission underscores the reliability of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft and the growing partnership between NASA, JAXA, Roscosmos, and commercial spaceflight providers.
Stay tuned for updates as NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission inches closer to liftoff, ushering in another milestone in human spaceflight.