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Crew 10 Launch Paves Way for Starliner Astronauts’ Return
After an extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams are finally coming home. Their return is facilitated by the successful launch of Crew 10, which blasted off from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Pad 39A at 7:48 p.m. EDT Wednesday.
Crew 10, consisting of Commander Anne McClain, Pilot Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, docked with the ISS early Thursday morning. Awaiting them were the Crew 9 members, including Wilmore and Williams, who have been on board since last June.
Wilmore and Williams’ mission, initially planned for eight days, stretched to nearly 10 months due to technical issues with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. While their extended stay garnered attention, including some political commentary, both astronauts emphasized their preparedness and commitment throughout the mission. “We don’t feel abandoned, we don’t feel stuck, we don’t feel stranded,” Wilmore stated in a recent interview.
McClain, expressing her excitement about reuniting with Wilmore and Williams, highlighted the importance of the Crew 10 mission, which includes vital research, spacewalks, and potential private astronaut missions. The Crew 10 astronauts are a mix of seasoned spacefarers and first-time fliers, all with extensive piloting experience from military and commercial backgrounds.
Following a shortened handover period, Wilmore and Williams, along with Crew 9 commander Nick Hague and cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, will return to Earth aboard their Crew Dragon capsule, which has been docked at the ISS since their arrival.
The Starliner’s technical difficulties, involving helium propulsion system leaks and underperforming maneuvering jets, prompted NASA to extend Wilmore and Williams’ mission. While Boeing believed the issues were resolved and the Starliner safe for return, NASA opted for the astronauts to return on a Crew Dragon.
This situation prompted some political debate, with President Trump and Elon Musk criticizing the Biden administration’s handling of the situation. However, NASA maintains that the decision to bring the Starliner astronauts back on a Crew Dragon was made prior to these comments and was based on operational factors. The agency prioritized maintaining a safe and efficient crew rotation schedule for the ISS.