Crew 10 Soars Towards the I.S.S.

Kennedy Space Center, FL. – Liftoff! After a delay on the first launch opportunity back on March 12, 2025 due to a hydraulic issue, Crew 10 is on its way for an extended stay on the International Space Station (I.S.S.). Liftoff came today, March 14, 2025 at 7:03 PM EDT from Launch Complex 39-A.

Image Credit:  Michael Howard - We Report Space

Making this journey to the I.S.S. are: NASA astronauts Anne McClain, Commander and Nichole Ayers, Pilot. From the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is astronaut Takuya Onishi and from Russia is Roscosmos Cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Onishi and Psekov are Mission Specialists. Anne McClain as well as Takuya Onishi are making their second flights to space.

Image Credit:  Michael Howard - We Report Space

Taking Crew 10 to space is the Crew Dragon “Endurance”. “Endurance” is making its fourth flight having supported the Crew 3, 5 and 7 Missions.

When “Endurance” arrives at the I.S.S., it will be docking at the Harmony portion of the station.

Crew 10 Image Credit:  Michael Howard - We Report Space

In the first few days after the arrival of Crew 10, Crew 9 will be departing the station and bringing back the Starliner astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. Williams and Wilmore became part of Crew 9 was made up of only two astronauts when launched as to be able to bring back the Starliner crew after it was deemed that Starliner needed to return to Earth empty of its crew. What was a originally a short mission for Williams and Wilmore, they have now spent nearly nine months in space.

In a statement from NASA: “Congratulations to our NASA and SpaceX teams on the 10th crew rotation mission under our commercial crew partnership. This milestone demonstrates NASA’s continued commitment to advancing American leadership in space and driving growth in our national space economy,” said NASA acting Administrator Janet Petro.“Through these missions, we are laying the foundation for future exploration, from low Earth orbit to the Moon and Mars. Our international crew will contribute to innovative science research and technology development, delivering benefits to all humanity.”

When “Endurance” returns from this mission, it will be making a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean and not the Atlantic. This will be the first Crew Dragon capsule to make a splashdown off the West Coast California coastline.

Crew 10 will be conducting multiple experiments in the weightless orbiting laboratory over the next several months before returning to Earth.

Image Credit:  Michael Howard - We Report Space

Shortly after launch, the first stage booster made a successful landing at LZ-1 at Cape Canaveral S.F.S. sending a double sonic boom that could be heard across the Space Coast. Story and *Images by: Michael Howard – We Report Space. *Launch and Landing Images are We Report Stock Images by Michael Howard.