After months of delays, SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission has successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), providing relief to astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded in orbit for months due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner.
Crew-10, carrying four astronauts from three nations—NASA’s Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA’s Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos’ Kirill Peskov—launched on March 14 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The Crew Dragon capsule, Endurance, docked with the ISS’s Harmony module at 12:04 a.m. EDT (0404 GMT) on March 16, orbiting 260 miles above the Atlantic Ocean.
After the hatch opened at 1:35 a.m. EDT (0535 GMT), the crew was greeted with hugs and a playful prank by NASA astronaut Nick Hague, who wore an alien mask. Commander McClain described the moment as “surreal,” expressing the crew’s excitement upon seeing the station.
Williams and Wilmore were originally scheduled to stay for just eight days but have been stuck due to issues with the Starliner. Williams thanked the Crew-10 team, calling it a “wonderful day.”
The mission’s success has drawn significant attention online. NASA’s video of the docking gained over 7.3 million views, with users praising the teamwork and resilience behind the mission. Elon Musk also shared the video, highlighting the achievement as a step forward for space exploration.
Crew-10’s arrival marks a significant milestone, bringing hope for the safe return of Williams and Wilmore after months of uncertainty.
