NASA and SpaceX have collaborated on a crucial mission to bring home astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore, who have been stranded at the International Space Station (ISS) for nearly ten months. Their prolonged stay was due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft they initially used to reach the ISS in June 2024.
The Journey Home: Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmor
To facilitate their return, NASA partnered with SpaceX to include Williams and Wilmore in the Crew-9 mission’s return leg. However, their departure was delayed until SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission arrived at the ISS. This mission launched on March 14, 2025, from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, carrying astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi from JAXA, and Kirill Peskov from Roscosmos aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft.
NASA and SpaceX Collaborate to Bring Home Stranded Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore
SpaceX Dragon Docks to Station With Four Crew-10 Members
The Crew-10 spacecraft successfully docked at the ISS on March 16 2025, marking the beginning of a new crew rotation. This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to enhance American leadership in space and pave the way for future exploration beyond Earth’s orbit.
The Crew-10 Mission
Launch Details: The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7:03 p.m. EDT on March 14, 2025, from Launch Complex 39A. The mission marked the tenth operational crew rotation under the NASA-SpaceX partnership.
Crew Members: The Crew-10 mission includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.
Docking: The Crew Dragon spacecraft autonomously docked at the ISS’s Harmony module at approximately 11:30 p.m. EDT on March 15.
Return of Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore
With the arrival of the new crew, Williams and Wilmore are set to return home alongside two other astronauts. Their departure is planned for no earlier than Wednesday, March 19, pending favorable weather conditions. The Crew Dragon capsule will undock from the ISS and make a splashdown landing off the coast of Florida.
This mission highlights the collaborative efforts between NASA and SpaceX in ensuring the safe transportation of astronauts to and from space. It also underscores the challenges faced by space agencies in dealing with unexpected technical issues and the importance of adaptability in space exploration.
