SpaceX, the aerospace company founded by Elon Musk, has once again made headlines with its successful Crew-10 mission. The spacecraft docked at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, marking a significant step toward bringing home two NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded in orbit for months.
Successful Docking at the ISS
The SpaceX Dragon capsule, launched from Texas on Friday, took approximately 28.5 hours to reach the ISS. It arrived at 12:05 a.m. EST, carrying four astronauts: Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers from NASA, Takuya Onishi from Japan’s JAXA, and Kirill Peskov from Russia’s Roscosmos. They will now spend the next few days adjusting to life aboard the ISS alongside Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.
Why Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore Were Stuck in Orbit
NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stuck at the International Space Station (ISS) for much longer than planned. They arrived in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner for a short test mission, originally set to last just eight days. However, continuous technical issues with the spacecraft have caused multiple delays in their return.
The situation worsened when Crew-9 reached the ISS in August. With no emergency escape pod available for Williams and Wilmore, NASA had no choice but to extend their stay indefinitely.
Elon Musk Confirms Return Plans
With Crew-10 now docked, SpaceX founder Elon Musk confirmed that plans for their return are in place. NASA is expected to schedule their return flight in the coming days, ensuring their long-overdue homecoming.
Initially, their return was scheduled for March-end, but reports suggest it was preponed after U.S. President Donald Trump urged Musk to bring them back earlier. Despite previous delays, Crew-10’s arrival has set things in motion, offering a clear path for Williams and Wilmore to finally return to Earth.
