Four astronauts arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule on Sunday, March 16, 2025, marking the beginning of pivotal activities for the Expedition 72 crew. The capsule docked less than 48 hours after launching from Cape Canaveral, and the new arrivals were warmly welcomed by their counterparts already aboard the ISS.
Commander Anne McClain, U.S. Army Colonel and former combat helicopter pilot, led the Crew-10 mission along with fellow NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Upon their arrival, McClain reported to flight controllers, expressing joy over their trip: "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."
The new crew's successful docking allows them to ease the transition for Wilmore and Williams, both of whom have been stranded on the ISS since June 2024. They initially arrived aboard the Boeing Starliner, but propulsion issues forced NASA to send the Starliner back empty, leaving Wilmore and Williams to stay onboard much longer than planned.
During this crew-swap mission, the new astronauts will engage in scientific exploration and conduct material flammability tests destined to inform future spacecraft designs. They will also connect with students worldwide through the ISS Ham Radio Program, extending their mission's educational outreach. Notably, one crew member will study physiological and psychological changes impacting the human body during extended space missions.
The Crew-10 members joined the existing Expedition 72 crew, which includes NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Don Petitt, the returning Wilmore and Williams, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner. Their presence signifies not just continuity aboard the ISS but the securing of valuable data and insights for future space endeavors.
Wilmore and Williams, set to return home after nearly nine months, faced delays after several operational hurdles with the Starliner capsule. Originally intended for just over one week’s mission, their stay became unprecedented, but it fell short of the U.S. space record held by Frank Rubio, who spent 371 consecutive days on the ISS. Wilmore and Williams are now poised to leave the station for Earth on March 19, after extensive preparations involving medical checks and mission debriefings.
Williams, with her return, is expected to move to second place among U.S. astronauts for total time spent in space, nearing 570 days, trailing only behind Peggy Whitson, who amassed 675 days over multiple missions. "It was a wonderful day and great to see our friends arrive," Williams remarked shortly after the Crew-10 astronauts entered the station, referring to the joy of camaraderie and support among the crew.
Looking back at the timeline, the Crew-10 mission launched at 10:16 p.m. EDT on March 14, 2025, aboard SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and successfully arrived at the ISS at 1:35 AM EDT on March 16. Their arrival was celebrated onboard with floating hugs and heartfelt greetings, as NASA live-streamed the integration between the crews.
The crew handover process is not only pivotal for operations on the ISS but also ensures the safety and preparedness of astronauts transitioning between missions. Each detail, from scientific experiments to personal readiness, reflects the diligence of NASA and its international partners to maintain operational excellence aboard the space station.
Successful docking of the Crew-10 vessel signals hope and determination after tough challenges encountered by earlier missions like the ill-fated Boeing Starliner, underscoring the resilience of space travel teams and their commitment to exploration.
Future updates will follow as Wilmore and Williams prepare for their anticipated splashdown off the Florida coast and as Crew-10 embarks on their mission objectives aboard the ISS.