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Fresh crew docks at space station; Starliner astronauts expected to return to Earth Tuesday
- A new crew of four SpaceX Crew-10 members docked at the International Space Station, joining the seven Expedition 72 crew members for a welcoming ceremony.
- The Crew Dragon capsule successfully docked with the ISS after launching from the Kennedy Space Center, bringing fresh crew members and preparing for the return of the Starliner astronauts after nearly 300 days in space.
- Following standard procedures, motorized latches engaged to create an airtight seal between the Dragon capsule and the ISS before the crew members entered the space station.
- Commander Anne McClain and her crew expressed joy and gratitude for the journey and the SpaceX ride to the ISS, with co-pilot Nichole Ayers also sharing excitement about working in space.
- The Crew-10 members replaced Crew-9 commander Nick Hague and others, while three other crew members are scheduled to return to Earth next month aboard a Russian Soyuz spacecraft.
- Starliner commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore and pilot Sunita Williams were originally part of Crew 9 but stayed aboard the ISS due to Starliner technical issues, now set to return with Crew 10.
- NASA announced the return of Crew 9 on Tuesday, targeting a splashdown in the Gulf near Florida, allowing for a smooth handover with Crew 10 while considering favorable weather conditions.
- Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams will have been in space for 286 days upon landing, still short of the U.S. record for a single flight held by astronaut Frank Rubio at 371 days.
- Williams will move up to second place on the list of most experienced U.S. astronauts with around 570 days in space overall, behind Peggy Whitson who has spent 675 days over four flights.
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