NASA Speeds Up Crew-10 Launch, Allowing Starliner Astronauts to Return Early

NASA announced on Tuesday that it has swapped the planned astronaut capsule for the Crew-10 mission with a previously flown SpaceX Crew Dragon. The scheduling adjustment will accelerate both the target launch and return dates for upcoming crew rotation missions to and from the International Space Station (ISS).

As a result of this change, Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore will return to Earth earlier than initially expected.The decision aims to optimize scheduling and ensure a smooth transition for ISS crew operations.

NASA Moves Up Crew-10 Launch, Paving Way for Early Return of Williams & Wilmore

NASA has announced that the Crew-10 mission launch, initially scheduled for March 25, has been moved up to March 12, pending mission readiness and final certification of flight readiness. The adjustment will allow Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to return to Earth sooner than expected.

The Crew-9 mission will depart after completing a formal handover with the incoming Crew-10 team, ensuring continued staffing at the International Space Station (ISS). To facilitate the accelerated schedule, NASA and SpaceX have opted to use the previously flown Crew Dragon capsule Endurance instead of a newly manufactured one, which has been delayed in production.

"Teams will work to complete Dragon’s refurbishment and ready the spacecraft for flight, which includes trunk stack, propellant load, and transportation to SpaceX’s hangar at 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida to be mated with the mission’s Falcon 9 rocket," NASA stated.

Williams and Wilmore arrived at the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner in June 2024, but the spacecraft encountered multiple issues, including a helium leak. Since then, the two astronauts have remained aboard the station, with Williams taking command of the ISS. Their return hinges on the successful arrival of Crew-10’s four-member team, ensuring ISS operations remain at full capacity.

NASA Advances Crew-10 Launch Amid Spaceflight Challenges

NASA has confirmed that the Crew-10 mission will now launch on March 12, featuring a four-member crew: NASA astronauts Anne McClain (commander) and Nichole Ayers (pilot), JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi (mission specialist), and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov (mission specialist).

This decision follows last month’s call from former U.S. President Donald Trump, urging SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to expedite the return of NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS). While NASA had already planned for their return, the agency reiterated that it would bring them back "as soon as practical." However, in its latest announcement, NASA did not explicitly state that swapping the Crew-10 capsule was intended to accelerate their return.

Steve Stich, NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager, acknowledged the unpredictability of human spaceflight, stating, “Our operational flexibility is enabled by the tremendous partnership between NASA and SpaceX and the agility SpaceX continues to demonstrate to safely meet the agency's emerging needs.”

Following the Crew-10 mission’s arrival, Crew-9 will assist with ongoing ISS maintenance and scientific research before preparing to return to Earth. Their return—pending favorable weather conditions at the designated splashdown sites off Florida’s coast—will include NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov.

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