In a thrilling development, NASA and SpaceX have launched a mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday, aiming to bring home astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded in space for nine months.
The Falcon 9 rocket, operated by SpaceX, blasted off at 7:03 p.m. from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission carries four new astronauts to the ISS, who will replace Wilmore and Williams. Both Wilmore and Williams are seasoned astronauts and former U.S. Navy test pilots. They made history in June by becoming the first to fly Boeing’s new Starliner capsule to the ISS.
However, things didn’t go as planned. Issues with the Starliner’s propulsion system meant that their original eight-day mission was extended indefinitely, as it wasn’t safe for them to return using the malfunctioning capsule. In September, the Starliner capsule returned to Earth empty, leaving the astronauts behind on the space station.
The Crew-10 mission launched on Friday isn’t just a regular crew swap; it’s a crucial step to bring these stranded astronauts back to Earth. Wilmore and Williams are expected to depart the ISS on March 19, once the Crew-10 team arrives and settles in on Saturday night.
