NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission is officially on its way to the International Space Station (ISS) following a successful launch at 7:03 p.m. EDT on Friday, March 14 from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission marks the 10th commercial crew rotation flight under NASA’s partnership with SpaceX, highlighting the strength of American space leadership and global collaboration in space exploration.
Crew-10 Launch and Docking Details
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carried the Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit, transporting a diverse international crew:
- Anne McClain (NASA, USA) – Commander
- Nichole Ayers (NASA, USA) – Pilot
- Takuya Onishi (JAXA, Japan) – Mission Specialist
- Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos, Russia) – Mission Specialist
The spacecraft is scheduled to autonomously dock with the forward-facing port of the Harmony module on the ISS at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 15. The hatch opening is expected around 1:05 a.m. on Sunday, March 16, followed by welcome and farewell remarks from Crew-10 and Crew-9 around 1:40 a.m. All events will be streamed live on NASA+ and across NASA’s social media and digital platforms.
Crew-10’s Mission Objectives
After joining Expeditions 72/73, the Crew-10 astronauts will embark on a long-duration stay aboard the space station, focusing on high-value science and tech development. Highlights of their planned work include:
- Material flammability tests to inform future spacecraft and habitat design
- Participation in the ISS Ham Radio program, connecting with students globally
- Testing a backup lunar navigation solution using existing station hardware
- Studying human physiological and psychological changes in space for future missions to the Moon and Mars
These activities directly support the goals of NASA’s Artemis campaign, which aims to return humans to the Moon and prepare for deep space exploration.
International and Multi-Generational Crew Collaboration
For a brief period, the space station will host 11 crew members, as Crew-10 joins Crew-9, which includes NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner.
Crew-9 is expected to return to Earth no earlier than Wednesday, March 19, following a short handover period. NASA and SpaceX will evaluate weather conditions at the targeted splashdown sites off the Florida coast before confirming the exact return timeline.
Meet the Crew-10 Astronauts
Anne McClain (Commander)
A U.S. Army colonel and NASA astronaut since 2013, McClain is on her second trip to the ISS. She previously served on Expedition 58/59. On Crew-10, she will continue her role as flight engineer for Expeditions 72/73.
Nichole Ayers (Pilot)
Selected as an astronaut in 2021, this is Ayers’ first spaceflight. She will serve as a flight engineer and is responsible for Dragon’s operations during docking and reentry.
Takuya Onishi (Mission Specialist)
A former commercial airline pilot and JAXA astronaut, Onishi is on his second mission to the ISS after flying on Expedition 48/49 in 2016. He brings valuable experience as a flight engineer.
Kirill Peskov (Mission Specialist)
This marks Peskov’s first mission to space. As a Roscosmos astronaut, he will contribute to both science and operations aboard the station as a flight engineer.
Continuing a Legacy of Discovery
For over 24 years, astronauts have lived and worked aboard the ISS, turning it into a powerful platform for science, technology, and international collaboration. With each new crew, the station continues to deliver benefits to people on Earth and push the boundaries of what’s possible in space.
The Crew-10 mission continues NASA’s momentum in using the ISS to test systems and strategies for future commercial space destinations, deep space exploration, and the Artemis campaign — bringing us closer to long-term presence on the Moon and future missions to Mars.
The successful launch of Crew-10 marks another major milestone in space exploration. With an international team aboard, cutting-edge research planned, and strong public-private cooperation through SpaceX, this mission represents the very best of modern spaceflight. As the astronauts settle in for their months-long journey, their work will not only drive scientific progress but also inspire the next generation of explorers here on Earth.
