Priyanka Tiwari
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A SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule carrying four astronauts successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) early Sunday. The mission, Crew-10, is a scheduled crew rotation flight under NASA's commercial crew program. However, it carries added significance as it enables NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to finally return home after being stuck in orbit for nine months.
The capsule docked at 12:04 a.m. ET (0404 GMT) on Sunday, approximately 29 hours after launching from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:03 p.m. ET on Friday. The Crew-10 astronauts were greeted by the station’s seven-member crew, including Wilmore and Williams, who have remained onboard due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Wilmore and Williams’ Delayed Return
Wilmore and Williams, both veteran NASA astronauts and former Navy test pilots, were initially scheduled to return aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule. However, due to technical issues, NASA had to bring the capsule back empty, leaving the two astronauts stranded in orbit.
NASA devised a plan last year to bring them home, which has gained urgency since President Donald Trump took office in January. Their return is now scheduled for Wednesday at 4 a.m. ET (0800 GMT) aboard another Crew Dragon capsule, which has been docked at the station since September. They will travel back to Earth alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.
Crew-10 Astronauts to Stay for Six Months
The newly arrived Crew-10 astronauts will remain on the ISS for approximately six months, conducting scientific research and maintenance work. The team includes:
- Anne McClain (NASA)
- Nichole Ayers (NASA)
- Takuya Onishi (JAXA - Japan)
- Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos - Russia)
Their mission is part of NASA’s ongoing efforts to maintain continuous human presence on the space station and support long-duration spaceflight research.
Political Controversy Over the Mission
The Crew-10 mission became politically charged after Donald Trump and Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, criticized the delayed launch. They alleged, without evidence, that former President Joe Biden had abandoned Wilmore and Williams for political reasons. Despite the controversy, the mission has proceeded as a standard NASA crew rotation.
During their extended stay, Wilmore and Williams have remained active in ISS operations, participating in scientific research and station maintenance. Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Williams expressed her excitement about returning home, saying she looked forward to reuniting with her family and two dogs.
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