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A fresh team of four astronauts has embarked on a journey to the International Space Station (ISS) as SpaceX successfully launched its Crew-10 mission. The launch occurred at 7:03 p.m. EDT on March 14 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Traveling aboard the Crew Dragon capsule named Endurance, this new crew is set to relieve members of Crew-9, two of whom extended their stay in orbit since June due to delays experienced by Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The mission is led by NASA astronaut Anne McClain, with Nichole Ayers also from NASA acting as the pilot. JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi and Kirill Peskov, a cosmonaut from Roscosmos, are onboard as mission specialists. The spacecraft is projected to dock with the ISS within approximately 28 hours of launch.
Launch Delay and Successful Liftoff
The mission was originally scheduled for launch on March 12, but it encountered a postponement due to hydraulic issues with the ground support equipment, as reported by NASA. The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off shortly before sunset, creating a spectacular visual as it soared over Florida’s Space Coast. After a successful first stage separation, the rocket made a controlled descent, landing at Cape Canaveral’s Landing Zone-1 five minutes after launch. The second stage continued its trajectory, releasing the Endurance capsule into low Earth orbit roughly 7.5 minutes post-launch.
Mission Objectives and Crew Rotation
NASA officials have stated that Crew-10 is scheduled to stay aboard the ISS for a six-month mission, taking over responsibilities from Crew-9. The return of Crew-9 was delayed, primarily due to technical challenges faced with Boeing’s Starliner, which has yet to complete a fully operational crewed mission. The arrival of Crew-10 is crucial to ensuring that the station remains staffed for ongoing scientific research and essential maintenance activities. Following the successful separation of the spacecraft, McClain expressed her gratitude towards the global teams that contributed to the mission’s realization, highlighting the collaborative effort behind space exploration.
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