Crew-10 Astronauts Welcomed at ISS After Successful Docking

SpaceX's four-member Crew-10 mission successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) and was warmly welcomed by the Expedition 72 crew on Sunday, March 16, 2025.

The crew members entered the ISS at 11:05 AM IST, shortly after the hatches between the ISS and the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft ‘Endurance’ were opened.

Meet the Crew-10 Astronauts

Crew-10 Mission Members:

Anne McClain (Commander, NASA)
Nichole Ayers (Pilot, NASA)
Takuya Onishi (Mission Specialist, JAXA - Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency)
Kirill Peskov (Mission Specialist, Roscosmos - Russia’s Space Agency)

Their mission involves long-duration space research and learning ISS operations before taking over responsibilities from Crew-9.

A Joyful Arrival at the ISS

Commander Anne McClain shared that the team had a great journey to the ISS, lasting about 28 hours.
Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi expressed excitement about officially being a part of Expedition 72.

The Expedition 72 crew currently on board includes:
Nick Hague (NASA)
Don Pettit (NASA)
Sunita Williams (NASA)
Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore (NASA)
Aleksandr Gorbunov (Roscosmos)
Alexey Ovchinin (Roscosmos)
Ivan Vagner (Roscosmos)

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to Return Soon

NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded on the ISS since June 2024 after technical issues delayed their return aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.

Initial Mission Plan:

Williams and Wilmore arrived on the ISS in June 2024 during Starliner’s first crewed flight, meant to last only 10 days.

New Return Plan:

They will return to Earth next week (weather permitting) aboard SpaceX Dragon’s Freedom capsule, along with Crew-9 members Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov.

What’s Next?

With Crew-10 now on board, ISS operations continue smoothly, and after months of uncertainty, the long-awaited return of Williams and Wilmore is finally on track. Stay tuned for updates on their safe journey home!