The hatch of SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft opened on March 16 at 1:35 a.m. ET (11:30 a.m. IST), marking the official arrival of Crew-10 at the International Space Station (ISS). The Expedition 72 crew warmly welcomed them with cheers and excitement.
NASA Shares the Exciting Moment
NASA’s Johnson Space Center posted a video capturing the astronauts stepping into the ISS. The post read, “All the hugs. The hatch of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft opened March 16 at 1:35 a.m. ET and the members of Crew-10 entered the @Space_Station with the rest of their excited Expedition 72 crew.”
All the hugs. 🫶
The hatch of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft opened March 16 at 1:35 a.m. ET and the members of Crew-10 entered the @Space_Station with the rest of their excited Expedition 72 crew. pic.twitter.com/mnUddqPqfr
— NASA's Johnson Space Center (@NASA_Johnson) March 16, 2025
Crew-10’s Mission and Purpose
SpaceX launched the Crew-10 mission on March 14 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Falcon 9 rocket carried the Dragon spacecraft, which successfully docked with the ISS. The crew included NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Their primary goal was to bring back NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who had been stranded due to technical issues with their original spacecraft.
SpaceX launch to go rescue the NASA astronauts abandoned by the Biden Administration. pic.twitter.com/PMg82iqm64
— Texas Patriot (@Texasbrn) March 14, 2025
Why Were Williams and Wilmore Stranded?
Williams and Wilmore arrived at the ISS in June 2024 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Initially, their stay was supposed to be short. However, technical issues with Starliner made it unsafe for their return, forcing them to remain at the ISS for nine months. The prolonged delay drew significant public and political attention, with critics blaming the Biden administration for the situation.
What Happens Next?
Crew-10 will spend a few days adjusting to the ISS and preparing for the transfer of the stranded astronauts. Williams, Wilmore, and other returning astronauts are expected to return to Earth on March 19, bringing an end to their unexpectedly extended stay.
