NASA adjusts Crew-10 launch to late March 2025

NASA adjusts Crew-10 launch to late March 2025
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 18, 2024

NASA and SpaceX have rescheduled the launch of the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) to no earlier than late March 2025. The adjustment allows teams time to finalize processing for a new Dragon spacecraft set to support the mission. The spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at SpaceX's processing facility in Florida in early January.

"Fabrication, assembly, testing, and final integration of a new spacecraft is a painstaking endeavor that requires great attention to detail," said Steve Stich, manager, NASA's Commercial Crew Program. "We appreciate the hard work by the SpaceX team to expand the Dragon fleet in support of our missions and the flexibility of the station program and expedition crews as we work together to complete the new capsule's readiness for flight."

NASA and SpaceX evaluated several options, including utilizing an existing Dragon spacecraft or modifying the flight manifest. Following a detailed review, launching Crew-10 in March emerged as the most suitable option for meeting NASA's operational requirements and achieving the station's science objectives for 2025.

Crew-10 will consist of NASA astronauts Anne McClain, mission commander, and Nichole Ayers, pilot; JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, mission specialist; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. The crew continues to undergo training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston in preparation for their mission.

Once Crew-10 arrives at the space station, the Crew-9 team - consisting of NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov - will return to Earth. The brief handover period will allow Crew-9 to share operational insights and ensure a smooth transition for ongoing research and station maintenance.

The Expedition 72 team, currently aboard the ISS, remains focused on a range of scientific research and upcoming spacewalk preparations. The station received two resupply missions in November, providing the crew with essential items like food, water, clothing, and oxygen, along with special deliveries to celebrate the holidays.

Expedition 72 will conclude with the return of NASA astronaut Don Pettit aboard the Soyuz spacecraft. Crews generally stay on the space station for about six months, though some longer missions extend up to a year to gather critical data on human adaptation to extended spaceflight, supporting preparations for future deep-space missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.