• Source:JND
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NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are set to return to Earth after nearly nine months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Their departure comes as Crew-10, the replacement team, successfully docked with the ISS following its launch aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The docking occurred at approximately 9:35 am IST on Sunday, March 17, marking the official transition of crew responsibilities. 

The arrival of Crew-10 marks a transition in ISS operations, as NASA astronaut Sunita Williams formally handed over command of the station to Russian cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin. Ovchinin will oversee ISS operations for the next six months. The new arrivals will join NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Aleksandr Gorbunov, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner.

Following the docking procedure, Crew-9 members will deliver farewell remarks at 11:10 am IST before preparing to depart the station. Williams and Wilmore, alongside NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, are scheduled to return to Earth on March 19. Before their departure, NASA will assess weather conditions at potential splashdown sites off the Florida coast to ensure a safe landing.

rew-10's journey began aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, which successfully launched from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission comprises four astronauts who will replace Wilmore, Williams, and their departing colleagues. The Crew Dragon spacecraft is expected to remain docked at the ISS for an extended stay, allowing the astronauts to conduct scientific experiments, maintenance tasks, and support operations aboard the station.

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Crew-10 Takes Over ISS Operations

As the new team settles in, their primary focus will include research in microgravity effects, technology demonstrations, and Earth observation projects. The ISS continues to serve as a critical platform for international cooperation in space exploration, with astronauts from multiple space agencies working together to advance scientific knowledge and prepare for future missions beyond Earth’s orbit.

Williams, a veteran astronaut of Indian origin, has spent significant time aboard the ISS and is known for her contributions to space research. Her return, along with Wilmore and the other Crew-9 members, marks the conclusion of their mission, paving the way for the next phase of ISS activities led by Crew-10.

NASA’s live coverage of the SpaceX Crew-10 mission is streaming on NASA+ as astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers (NASA), Takuya Onishi (JAXA), and Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos) travel to the International Space Station (ISS).