NASA-SpaceX misson that will bring Sunita Williams home launches tomorrow
What's the story
SpaceX, Elon Musk's aerospace company, is preparing to launch its Crew-10 mission.
The spacecraft will take four astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) and replace the current team.
Among those waiting to return is NASA astronaut Sunita Williams, who has been in space for over nine months.
The Crew-10 mission is scheduled to lift off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Wednesday at 7:48pm EDT (5:18 am IST on Thursday).
Mission details
Crew-10 mission and ISS docking procedures
The Dragon spacecraft, which flew Crew-3, Crew-5, and Crew-7 missions to the ISS, will carry astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov.
After launch from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, the spacecraft will separate from the Falcon-9 rocket and adjust its course.
It will perform a series of burns to align with the ISS before docking.
The same spacecraft will bring Williams and Butch Wilmore to Earth on March 16, NASA has confirmed.
Return timeline
Williams's extended stay and return
Williams and Wilmore arrived on Boeing's Starliner for an 8-day mission in 2024, but delays have kept them there for over nine months.
The Crew-10 mission will ensure a smooth transition at the ISS, letting the two astronauts finally make their way home once the new team is settled.
The case of Williams and Wilmore drew political attention after US President Donald Trump criticized the delay, alleging that the Biden administration was deliberately keeping them from coming home.