After an initial postponement, SpaceX’s Crew Dragon successfully launched on March 14, 2025, carrying a team of four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). The mission, known as Crew-10, marks a critical step in NASA’s ongoing operations aboard the ISS and is set to facilitate the long-awaited return of NASA astronauts Sunita “Suni” Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been aboard the station for nine months.
As reported by ABC News, the mission lifted off from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:03 p.m. ET, propelled by a Falcon 9 rocket that accelerated to a speed of 17,500 mph on its journey to low Earth orbit. The launch had originally been scheduled for March 13 but was delayed due to an issue with the ground support clamp arm on the Falcon 9 rocket. SpaceX resolved the hydraulic system problem, allowing for a smooth launch the following day.
The Crew-10 team consists of:
- Anne McClain (NASA) – Mission commander
- Nichole Ayers (NASA) – Mission pilot
- Takuya Onishi (JAXA) – Mission specialist, representing the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency
- Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos) – Mission specialist, representing Russia’s space agency
Their mission is part of NASA’s long-term research efforts aboard the ISS, where they will conduct over 200 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations designed to support future deep-space exploration. These experiments will help improve life support systems, biomedical research, and advanced spaceflight technologies, all of which are critical for NASA’s Artemis program and potential Mars missions.
Once Crew-10 reaches the ISS, they will dock at 11:30 p.m. ET on March 15, followed by an official crew handover with the current ISS team at 1:05 a.m. ET on March 16. This transition will allow Crew-10 to acclimate to their new environment while ensuring a smooth exchange of mission responsibilities.
One of the key aspects of this mission is the return of Williams and Wilmore, two American astronauts who originally arrived on the ISS in June 2024 as part of NASA’s Boeing Starliner Crew Flight Test. Their stay was initially planned to last only a few weeks, but due to technical concerns with the Starliner spacecraft, NASA determined that it was safer to bring them back aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Freedom capsule instead.
Williams and Wilmore’s extended mission on the ISS has been historic in several ways. Williams set a new record for most spacewalking time by a woman, totaling 62 hours and 6 minutes. Throughout their time aboard the ISS, they remained actively engaged in station maintenance, scientific research, and system upgrades.
NASA has stated that they were never stranded, despite the unexpected extension of their mission. However, their return has been highly anticipated as NASA continues to evaluate the reliability of the Boeing Starliner program.
This successful Crew Dragon launch reinforces SpaceX’s critical role in NASA’s commercial crew program, which aims to maintain a continuous human presence on the ISS while preparing for future missions beyond low Earth orbit. SpaceX has now completed multiple crewed missions to the ISS since becoming NASA’s primary transportation provider for astronauts following the retirement of the Space Shuttle program in 2011.
With the Crew-10 mission, NASA and SpaceX continue to test and refine their capabilities for safe, efficient crew transport—a necessary component for ensuring the long-term sustainability of human spaceflight. The use of multiple spacecraft, including SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Russia’s Soyuz, ensures that astronauts have redundant return options in case of technical issues, as seen with the Starliner situation.
- Crew-10’s arrival at the ISS will officially begin their multi-month stay aboard the station.
- Williams, Wilmore, and two other Crew-9 astronauts will prepare for their return journey aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Freedom, potentially landing as early as March 20, 2025.
- Endurance, the Crew-10 Dragon capsule, will remain docked at the ISS, serving as an emergency escape vehicle for the new crew.
This mission is another demonstration of SpaceX’s growing role in human spaceflight, showcasing the reliability of private spaceflight operations in maintaining the ISS and advancing future exploration efforts.
As NASA, SpaceX, and their international partners continue to expand human presence in space, the success of Crew-10 serves as a reminder of how far commercial spaceflight has come—and how vital it is to the future of space exploration.
