NASA's Stuck Astronauts Welcome Replacement Abroad SpaceX capsule.

Astronauts Arrive to Relieve Stranded Crew

A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule successfully delivered four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) early Sunday, paving the way for a pair of NASA astronauts who have been stranded in orbit for months to finally return to Earth.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams were originally scheduled for a brief week-long mission but have remained in space for nine months due to complications with their return vehicle, Boeing’s Strainer. The issues prompted NASA to send the Starliner back to Earth without them and arrange for their return aboard a different spacecraft.

SpaceX Crew-10 Mission Docks at ISS

The Crew-10 mission launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:03 p.m. on Friday and docked at the ISS at 12:04 a.m. on Sunday, completing its 29-hour journey. The new crew includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Pskov. They will remain aboard the ISS for approximately six months.

NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 crew members Cosmonaut Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos of Russia, Pilot Nichole Ayers and Commander Anne McClain of the U.S. and Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi of Japan's JAXA, Friday, March 14, 2025.

Wilmore and Williams Set to Return to Earth

Later this week, Wilmore and Williams will board a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule that has been docked at the station since last year. They will be joined by NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who arrived at the ISS in September on another Crew Dragon vehicle that was equipped with two empty seats for the returning astronauts.

Their return journey is expected to commence as early as Wednesday at 4 a.m., with a planned splashdown off the coast of Florida.

A Smooth Transition

Wilmore and Williams have continued to contribute to ISS operations by conducting scientific research and performing routine maintenance while awaiting their return trip. Williams expressed her eagerness to reunite with her family and pets, noting the challenges her loved ones faced during her extended stay in orbit.

“This has been a roller coaster for them, probably even more so than for us,” she shared earlier this month.

Mission Success and the Handover Process

The docking process for Crew-10 was smooth, with former NASA astronaut Leroy Chiao explaining the procedure during an appearance on Fox News. He emphasized that, unlike what is often depicted in movies, astronauts must perform extensive leak checks and allow pressure fluctuations to stabilize before opening the hatches.

“This looks like a completely flawless, successful mission so far,” Chiao remarked. “Sunny and Butch are looking forward to showing the new crew around, completing the handover, and then preparing for their own journey home in the next few days.”

The transition marks a critical step in ensuring a safe and efficient crew rotation aboard the ISS, highlighting the collaborative efforts of international space agencies and the reliability of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon program.

SpaceX Makes History with Starship Booster Catch Using 'Chopsticks'

SpaceX achieved a groundbreaking milestone on Sunday by successfully catching the returning booster of its massive Starship rocket using mechanical arms, known as "chopsticks," during a test flight.

Successful Starship Launch and Booster Recovery

The nearly 400-foot-tall Starship rocket, designed for full reusability, launched from SpaceX’s Starbase facility near Boca Chica Village in South Texas. As the rocket ascended, its 233-foot Super Heavy booster detached and began its controlled descent back to Earth.

Innovative Catching Mechanism

To enable a precision landing, the booster's 33 Raptor engines fired up to slow its descent as it approached the launch site. In a first-of-its-kind maneuver, the massive booster gently fell into the launch tower’s metal arms, which successfully grabbed and secured it in place on the initial attempt of this novel catching technique.

A Leap Toward Reusability

This feat marks a major step forward in SpaceX’s efforts to develop fully reusable rocket systems, reducing costs and turnaround times for future launches. The success of this method could revolutionize space travel by enabling rapid reusability, making ambitious missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond more feasible.

With this successful demonstration, SpaceX continues to push the boundaries of aerospace engineering, solidifying its role as a leader in the future of space exploration.

reference

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