NASA and SpaceX are expediting the launch and return dates for crew rotation missions to and from the International Space Station (ISS), facilitating the return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.
Key Points:
Crew-10 Launch: The launch is now targeted for March 12, pending mission readiness and completion of NASA’s certification process.
Crew-9 Return: Williams and Wilmore, part of the Crew-9 mission with NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are scheduled to return after a handover with Crew-101. They have been at the ISS since September.
Change in Plans: The adjustment stems from a decision to use a previously flown Dragon spacecraft, named Endurance, for the Crew-10 mission, which requires less processing time13. This Dragon previously supported the Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 flights.
Earlier Opportunities: By using the Dragon capsule, NASA aims for an earlier launch, allowing Williams and Wilmore to return sooner than expected4. NASA is considering March 19 as their new return date.
Crew-10 Members: The Crew-10 mission will carry NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, to the space station.
Background: Williams and Wilmore have been in space since June due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
Political Pressure: The decision follows a request from former US President Donald Trump to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to expedite the astronauts’ return.
Gill Bikram Singh