On Sunday, March 16, 2025, the Crew 10 Dragon capsule docked at the International Space Station (ISS), marking the arrival of four new astronauts. This event also paves the way for the scheduled return of the Crew 9 members, who have spent nearly 300 days onboard the orbiting outpost due to delays with their original transportation vessel.
The Crew Dragon capsule launched from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on Friday, March 14, returning to the station with fresh faces and new vigor. Crew 10 includes Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov, who are set to take over operational duties aboard the ISS. Their arrival came just hours before the scheduled return of Crew 9, which had been extended significantly longer than planned.
Utilizing precision docking maneuvers, the Crew Dragon passed 1,300 feet beneath the ISS before moving to position itself 720 feet directly ahead. Successfully docking at the Harmony module’s forward port at 12:04 a.m. EDT, the Martin latches secured the capsule for airtight entry. After the standard leak checks, the crew opened the hatch at 1:35 a.m., entering the space station to begin their mission.
Commander Anne McClain expressed the excitement felt by her and her crewmates upon sighting the ISS for the first time from their window. "I cannot tell you the immense joy of our crew when we looked out the window and we saw the space station for the first time," she said, reflecting on the thrill of the mission. Co-pilot Nichole Ayers, who joined McClain on this exciting venture, echoed her sentiments, stating, "Thank you to SpaceX for the awesome ride up here." Her expressions of gratitude highlight the teamwork involved between NASA and private space companies.
The welcome for Crew 10 inside the ISS included good humor; Nick Hague, the Crew 9 commander, donned an alien mask and engaged his crew to lighten the mood before their stint came to an end. Hague's playful antics were captured on video, showcasing the camaraderie and traditions among the astronauts on board.
While the Crew 10 members embarked on their new mission, the outgoing Crew 9, which also includes Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, will be returning home after being stuck aboard the ISS since June 2024. Their initial mission was expected to last just eight days, but technical difficulties with their Boeing Starliner delayed their projected return.
NASA announced on Sunday, March 16, 2025, their targeted return for Crew 9 on Tuesday, March 18. The mission managers explained they were focusing on favorable weather conditions for splashdown and allowing time for the crew to conduct handover duties with their successors effectively. The crew expects to undock from the ISS at 1:05 a.m. and splash down off the Florida coast around 6 p.m. the same day.
Upon their return, Wilmore and Williams will have logged 286 days in space. Although extensive by most standards, this remains well short of the U.S. record of 371 days, set by astronaut Frank Rubio. Rubio's year-long mission followed complications aboard the Russian Soyuz he was originally set to return home on.
Despite being safely aboard the ISS, Wilmore and Williams experienced significant challenges during their extended mission. Days and resources initially intended for shorter stays turned scarce over those months, leading to concerns and tremendous public interest surrounding their prolonged separation from families. It isn't merely the length but the reality of needing extra personal care items due to the unexpected extension, casting attention on human endurance amid technical setbacks.
Soon after the arrival of Crew 10, Wilmore and Williams were preparing for their return, emphasizing the operational protocols of conducting guidance briefings with their replacements. The Crew Dragon capsule prepared for their approach exemplifies the logistical planning involved between NASA and SpaceX during this rotation mission, as they carried forth with optimized coordination.
NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is pivotal for progressing crew rotations to the International Space Station. The recent successful docking from Crew 10 is indicative of the program's overall aims, showcasing how well entities can collaborate to maintain human activity significantly above Earth.
Reflecting on the joy of space travel, McClain concluded, "This is just the beginning of so many incredible discoveries yet to come aboard the ISS. We are excited about the science we are going to conduct and the impacts it will have on Earth and future exploration missions."
With favorable weather forecasted for their return, the conclusion of this chapter signals anticipation for the next one. Ensuring both the team's safety and the new research endeavors will continue to shape the narrative of human space exploration.
