The hatch of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft opened on March 16 at 1:35 a.m. ET (11:30 a.m. IST). Moments later, the Crew-10 astronauts stepped into the International Space Station (ISS). The Expedition 72 crew welcomed them with cheers and excitement.
All the hugs. 🫶
— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) March 16, 2025
The hatch of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft opened March 16 at 1:35 a.m. ET and the members of Crew-10 entered the @Space_Station with the rest of their excited Expedition 72 crew. pic.twitter.com/mnUddqPqfr
Crew-10’s Mission to the ISS
Earlier, on March 14, SpaceX launched the Dragon spacecraft from Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The mission aimed to bring back NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who had been stranded on the ISS due to spacecraft issues.
During the launch, the Falcon 9 rocket carried Dragon into orbit. After a smooth journey through space, the spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS. The Crew-10 team includes:
- Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers (NASA)
- Takuya Onishi (JAXA, Japan)
- Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos, Russia)
Now, they will assist in returning Williams and Wilmore to Earth.
NASA Shares Crew-10’s Arrival
Meanwhile, NASA’s Johnson Space Center posted a video of Crew-10 entering the ISS. The caption read: “All the hugs. 🫶 The hatch of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft opened March 16 at 1:35 a.m. ET, and the members of Crew-10 entered the @Space_Station with the rest of their excited Expedition 72 crew.”
Williams and Wilmore’s Delayed Return
Previously, in June 2024, Williams and Wilmore arrived at the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Initially, they expected a short mission. However, due to safety concerns with Starliner, their return was delayed for nine months. As a result, many criticized the Biden administration for not resolving the issue sooner.
Now, Crew-10 will help them prepare for their return. They are set to leave the ISS on March 19, finally bringing their unexpected stay to an end.