Cape Canaveral, FL – March 14, 2025 – With just 20 minutes until liftoff, NASA and SpaceX are gearing up for the highly anticipated Crew-10 mission launch tonight at 7:03 p.m. EDT from Kennedy Space Center’s historic Launch Complex 39A. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, topped with the Dragon spacecraft "Endurance," is ready to carry four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) in a critical crew rotation and rescue operation.
The Crew-10 team includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain (commander) and Nichole Ayers (pilot), alongside mission specialists Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) and Kirill Peskov from Roscosmos. This diverse crew is set to replace the current ISS team and bring home two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded in orbit since June 2024 due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Originally scheduled for Wednesday, the launch was scrubbed due to a hydraulic issue with the Falcon 9’s ground support system. After intensive checks and a weather delay on Thursday, SpaceX confirmed today that the problem—a trapped air pocket in the hydraulics—has been resolved. With a 95% favorable weather forecast and all systems green, anticipation is high as the countdown nears its final stretch.
This mission marks the 10th crewed flight under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program with SpaceX and the fourth trip for the Dragon "Endurance." Beyond crew rotation, Crew-10 will conduct experiments on the ISS, including flammability tests for future spacecraft designs. Meanwhile, Wilmore and Williams, stuck for over nine months, are expected to return with Crew-9 members Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov as early as March 19, assuming a successful docking on Saturday.
As the clock ticks down, the world watches live on NASA+ and SpaceX’s streams. A sonic boom may ripple across Central Florida as the Falcon 9’s reusable booster attempts a landing at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Tonight’s launch isn’t just a routine trip—it’s a lifeline to the ISS and a testament to human perseverance in space.
Stay tuned for updates as Crew-10 lights up the Florida sky.
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