SpaceX Crew-10 Mission Nears Return to Earth After Extended Space Station Stay

Following a nearly five-month tenure aboard the International Space Station (ISS), the four astronauts comprising SpaceX’s Crew-10 mission are scheduled to return to Earth today, August 9th. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, designated Endurance, is targeted for a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast at approximately 11:33 a.m. EDT (1533 GMT; 8:33 a.m. local California time). NASA will broadcast live coverage beginning at 10:15 a.m. EDT (1415 GMT), accessible via Space.com and directly through the space agency’s platforms.

This mission marks SpaceX’s tenth operational astronaut transport to and from the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP). The crew includes NASA astronauts Anne McClain, who serves as commander, and pilot Nichole Ayers; JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.

Launched on March 14th atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, the Crew-10 team reached the ISS two days later, subsequently dedicating their time to an extensive program of scientific research. The transition process began last Saturday, August 2nd, with the arrival of the four-person Crew-11 mission at the station. Following a period of familiarization and handover duties, the Crew-10 members prepared for their return journey, reflecting on their experience in orbit.

“We got to accomplish a lot of really amazing operational things,” Ayers shared during a farewell ceremony earlier this week. “We have had some really big belly laughs and a wonderful time together.”

The final preparations commenced Friday, August 8th, with the closure of hatches between Endurance and the ISS at 4:20 p.m. EDT (2020 GMT), followed by undocking at 6:15 p.m. EDT (2205 GMT). The spacecraft subsequently initiated its trajectory toward Earth. This will be the first SpaceX CCP mission to conclude with a Pacific Ocean splashdown, a shift implemented by SpaceX to mitigate potential risks associated with falling space debris compared to landings off Florida’s coast. While not the first SpaceX mission to land in the Pacific—private missions Fram2 and Axiom 4 preceded it—this marks a significant change for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

The return journey represents a first spaceflight for Ayers and Peskov, while McClain and Onishi have previously ventured into orbit. Onishi recently concluded his tenure as commander of Expedition 73 aboard the ISS, formally relinquishing command to cosmonaut Sergey Ryzhikov on Tuesday.