Crew 10 Liftoff – 7:03 pm EDT on March 14 (Photo: Burt Dicht).
By Burt Dicht
NSS Managing Director of Membership
The Florida sky provided a stunning backdrop for the pre-sundown launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission on Friday, March 14, as the Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A at 7:03 p.m. EDT. The launch was originally scheduled for March 12 but was delayed due to a hydraulic system issue with a ground support clamp arm on the Falcon 9. SpaceX engineers resolved the problem by clearing trapped air from the lines. However, unfavorable weather on March 13 led to a further delay, pushing the launch to Friday evening.
Crew-10 marks SpaceX’s tenth crew rotation mission with Crew Dragon and the 11th astronaut flight to the International Space Station (ISS) under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. On board the Dragon are NASA astronauts Anne McClain, commander, and Nichole Ayers, pilot, along with mission specialists Takuya Onishi of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) and Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos. The crew will spend the next six months aboard the ISS.
For McClain, this is her second journey into space. A NASA astronaut since 2013, she previously spent 204 days on the ISS during Expeditions 58 and 59, completing two spacewalks totaling more than 13 hours. McClain is a colonel in the U.S. Army and a Master Army Aviator with over 2,000 flight hours in 20 different aircraft.
Ayers is embarking on her first spaceflight. A major in the U.S. Air Force and a member of NASA’s 2021 astronaut class, she is the first of her class assigned to a flight. She brings extensive experience as an instructor pilot and mission commander in both the T-38 and F-22 Raptor, with over 1,400 flight hours, including 200 in combat.
Onishi is returning for his second mission to the ISS. He previously served as a flight engineer on Expeditions 48 and 49 in 2016, spending 113 days in space. He continues to represent JAXA in international missions. Peskov is making his first spaceflight. Selected as a Roscosmos cosmonaut in 2018, he previously worked as a commercial pilot on Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft.
Arrival and Final Preparations
The launch buildup began on March 7 when the Crew 10 astronauts arrived at Kennedy Space Center. After a two-hour flight, their Gulfstream jet landed at the Launch and Landing Facility just after 2:45 p.m. EST. The crew was welcomed by NASA officials and the media. Commander McClain offered remarks about the mission, emphasizing the importance of the ISS in advancing science and international cooperation.
Following their arrival, the crew entered quarantine at the Neil A. Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to safeguard their health before launch. On March 9, they completed their dry dress rehearsal—donning their SpaceX Crew Dragon suits and practicing every phase of the countdown and boarding process. The launch delay gave the crew extra time to prepare and even relax for a brief visit to the astronaut beach house.
The Launch and What Comes Next
Commander McClain shared a heartfelt post-launch message, underscoring the significance of international collaboration and the resilience of human space exploration. Crew 10, riding aboard the Endurance spacecraft, is scheduled to dock with the ISS at 11:30 p.m. EDT on March 15.
After arriving at the station, Crew 10 will conduct a brief handover with Crew 9, who are currently aboard the ISS. Following the transition, Crew 9 will prepare for their return to Earth. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been on the station since June after launching on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, will return home. Originally planned as an eight-day test flight, their mission has now reached nine months. Also returning on the Crew 9 spacecraft are astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, stated at the post-launch press conference that Crew 9 will depart the ISS no earlier than Wednesday (March 19).
Crew 10 will join Expedition 72, transitioning to Expedition 73 in April. During their mission, they will conduct station maintenance, engage with students around the world via ham radio, and carry out scientific research. Their studies will focus on the physiological and psychological effects of long-duration spaceflight, supporting NASA’s goals for future missions to the Moon and Mars.
Historic Timing and Milestones
An unexpected highlight of the launch delay was the Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon witnessing a lunar eclipse. A SpaceX engineer captured an image of the “Blood Moon” rising above the rocket (see photo). The March 14 launch coincided with Pi Day and the 23rd anniversary of SpaceX’s founding in 2002. To date, SpaceX has launched 44 Dragon spacecraft to the ISS—14 of them carrying crews.
As Crew 10 begins their six-month stay aboard the ISS, they carry forward NASA’s mission of exploration and international partnership. With experienced astronauts and skilled first-time fliers, Crew 10 represents the continuing process in maintaining humanity’s foothold in low Earth orbit and building experience in long-duration spaceflight that will be necessary for space settlement.
