This undated handout picture from Nasa shows NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts (from top) Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams inside the vestibule between the forward port on the International Space Station’s Harmony module and Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. (Photo: Handout/NASA/AFP)
NASA and SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission is set to dock with the International Space Station (ISS) today, marking a key phase in the crew rotation process. The mission will also facilitate the long-awaited return of US astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded in space for nearly nine months.
Docking and hatch opening schedule
According to NASA’s schedule, the Crew Dragon spacecraft will dock with the ISS at 11.30 p.m. EDT on Sunday (9 a.m. IST on March 16). Following the docking procedure, astronauts will conduct checks before opening the hatch at 1.05 a.m. EDT (10.35 a.m. IST). Crew-9 members will then deliver their farewell remarks at 1.40 a.m. EDT (11.10 a.m. IST) as they prepare to depart.
The arrival of Crew-10 will temporarily raise the number of astronauts aboard the ISS to 11. The new crew will join NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner.
Crew-10’s journey to the ISS
SpaceX launched the Crew-10 mission on Friday from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket, carrying the Crew Dragon capsule, lifted off shortly after 7 pm New York time (4.30 am IST on Saturday). Around 10 minutes after launch, the capsule separated from the rocket’s upper stage, officially beginning its journey to the ISS.
In spaceflight, the rendezvous phase involves precise orbital navigation before docking, where two spacecraft physically connect. For Crew-10, docking will either be carried out automatically or manually, followed by safety checks for air leaks before the hatch is opened, allowing the astronauts to board the station.
Once inside, Crew-10 members will remove their spacesuits, begin offloading cargo, and initiate a two-day handover process before Crew-9 departs.
Wilmore and Williams’ extended stay
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were originally scheduled to spend only a week on the ISS after arriving aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June 2024. However, technical issues with Starliner prevented NASA from using it for their return trip, forcing an extended stay that has now lasted nearly nine months.
NASA has since arranged for their return aboard a SpaceX capsule already docked at the station. Wilmore, Williams, and two other astronauts are expected to depart no earlier than March 19.
Ahead of their departure, NASA will monitor weather conditions at potential splashdown sites off the Florida coast to ensure a safe landing.
Crew-10’s role on the ISS
Crew-10 consists of NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. They will remain on the ISS for six months, conducting scientific research on lunar navigation, material flammability, and the human body’s adaptation to space.
The extended stay of Wilmore and Williams has drawn widespread attention, with figures such as former President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk weighing in on the situation.
Ahead of the launch, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth shared a video message expressing support for NASA's SpaceX Crew-10.
In a video posted on X, Hegseth stated, "I just want to take a brief moment to say we are praying for you." He added, "We wish you Godspeed, and we look forward to welcoming you all home soon."
"President Trump said to Elon Musk, 'get the astronauts home and do it now' - and they're responding," Hegseth said.
"And they're bringing NASA astronauts, [who] also happen to be retired US Navy Capt. Butch Wilmore and retired US Navy Capt. Suni Williams, home," he added.
(With inputs from agencies)
Subscribe to our Newsletter
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
.jpg?$p=cdbf509&q=0.8&f=16x11&w=104)
