Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore to return to Earth early as NASA adjusts Crew 10 launch

NASA has decided to use a previously flown SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule for its Crew-10 mission instead of a new one. This change allows astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to return to Earth earlier than planned. The U.S. space agency announced that it is speeding up the launch and return dates for upcoming missions to and from the International Space Station (ISS).

The Crew-10 mission, which was originally set for March 25, will now launch on March 12. However, this date depends on mission readiness and the completion of NASA’s flight certification process. Once Crew-10 reaches the ISS, the Crew-9 astronauts will return to Earth after a handover process.

SpaceX Capsule change

NASA has chosen to use the ‘Endurance’ capsule, a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft that has already been used before, rather than a newly built one. The decision comes as the production of a new capsule has been delayed. The ‘Endurance’ spacecraft will undergo final preparations, including loading propellant and transporting it to SpaceX’s launch site at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore had traveled to the ISS aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule in June 2024. However, the Starliner encountered multiple issues, including a helium leak. Despite the problems, Sunita Williams has been leading operations at the space station. Their return depends on the arrival of the Crew-10 astronauts, who will replace them and continue station activities.

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Crew-10 Astronaut team

The Crew-10 mission includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain (commander) and Nichole Ayers (pilot), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi (mission specialist), and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov (mission specialist). Their arrival will allow normal staffing at the ISS and ensure the smooth continuation of ongoing experiments and maintenance work.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump urged SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to bring back Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore “as soon as possible.” However, NASA had already planned their return and reaffirmed that they would come back when it was practical.

NASA’s Commercial Crew Program Manager, Steve Stich, acknowledged that human spaceflight is full of unexpected challenges. He praised NASA’s partnership with SpaceX, which allows for flexibility in meeting the agency’s needs.

Once Crew-10 takes over ISS duties, NASA and SpaceX will prepare for the return of Crew-9 astronauts, including Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Their return will depend on weather conditions at the planned splashdown sites off the coast of Florida.