SpaceX Launches Replacement Crew for Stuck Astronauts at ISS

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX successfully launched a new crew to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday night, significantly paving the way for the return of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams after an unexpected nine-month stay. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 7:03 p.m. ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, carrying four astronauts in the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

The newly launched Crew-10 members include NASA’s Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan’s Takuya Onishi, and Russia’s Kirill Peskov. They are scheduled to arrive at the ISS at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET Saturday, where they will brief Wilmore and Williams on recent developments before their departure next week.

NASA aims for overlap between the crews to ensure a seamless transition. Wilmore and Williams, originally intended to stay aboard the ISS for only ten days after their arrival in June, faced multiple delays due to technical issues with their spacecraft.

“Spaceflight is tough, but humans are tougher,” McClain remarked shortly after the launch, emphasizing the resilience of the crew as they embarked on a six-month mission.

The two astronauts were initially slated for a short mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule. However, after encountering a series of issues including helium leaks and thruster failures, their mission was extended indefinitely, eventually leading to their transfer to a SpaceX flight.

Wilmore and Williams will return to Earth alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who also traveled to the ISS on a previous SpaceX flight. Together, they will depart as soon as 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday, pending weather conditions for a splasdown off the Florida coast.

NASA’s decision to extend Wilmore and Williams’ mission was made amid scrutiny from lawmakers and pressure from political figures, including former President Donald Trump and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who criticized delays associated with the astronauts’ return.

Despite the prolonged mission, both astronauts expressed their commitment to supporting NASA’s operations aboard the ISS. Wilmore and Williams contributed to crucial maintenance tasks, successfully completing repairs and conducting research, including nine spacewalks, a record for women.

“We appreciate all the love and support from everybody,” Williams stated prior to launch. “This mission has brought a little attention… But I think the good part is more and more people have been interested in what we’re doing with space exploration.”