SpaceX Launches Astronauts for a Long-Awaited ISS Crew Swap

SpaceX successfully launched four astronauts on Friday, kicking off the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Their arrival will provide enough personnel to allow Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to return to Earth after a nine-month stay.

The Dragon spacecraft is set to dock with the ISS late Saturday, with the new crew overlapping briefly before Williams, Wilmore, and two others depart, possibly as soon as March 19, weather permitting.

Unusual Circumstances Surrounding Williams and Wilmore’s Stay

While SpaceX’s ISS missions have become routine, this launch has drawn attention due to how Williams and Wilmore arrived at the station. They were part of Boeing’s first crewed Starliner mission last June, a critical test flight meant to position Boeing as a competitor to SpaceX in crewed spaceflight. Their extended stay has also sparked controversy, with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk blaming the delay on former President Joe Biden.

Starliner was originally scheduled to dock with the ISS for 10 days before bringing Williams and Wilmore back to Earth. However, leaks and thruster issues delayed its docking.

Eventually, Starliner connected with the station, allowing the astronauts to board. But after weeks of testing and analysis, Boeing and NASA decided in August to return the spacecraft empty.

Crew-9 Adjustments to Bring Williams and Wilmore Home

NASA and SpaceX agreed to bring Williams and Wilmore home on the next ISS crewed mission, Crew-9. To accommodate them, two astronauts were removed from that flight. A return was planned for February 2025, as an earlier departure would have left the ISS understaffed, according to NASA.

During Williams and Wilmore’s time on the ISS, Musk supported Donald Trump’s re-election and launched his Department of Government Efficiency. He later claimed—both on X and in interviews—that he had offered to bring the astronauts back sooner, but Biden declined for political reasons.

However, Musk has not provided evidence to back up this claim. NASA’s former administrator and deputy administrator under Biden stated that no such offer ever reached the agency’s headquarters.

Read the original article on: TechCrunch

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