SpaceX, NASA Launch Crew-10 Mission To Bring Back Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore

SpaceX and NASA's Crew-10 mission returns astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the ISS after nine months, while delivering four new crew members, including NASA and JAXA astronauts.

Image: @NASA/ X

SpaceX and NASA launched the Crew-10 mission at 7:03 ET on Friday, with a Falcon 9 rocket carrying a Dragon spacecraft to bring U.S. astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back from the International Space Station (ISS), where they had been stranded for nine months.

The mission also delivered four new crew members to the ISS including NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov.

Crew-10 is the 10th crew rotation mission under SpaceX's human space transportation system and the 11th crewed flight to the ISS through NASA's Commercial Crew Program, including the Demo-2 test flight.

Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have been stranded on the ISS for nine months, having arrived last June. Their stay was originally intended to last only about a week.

Ahead of the launch, US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth shared a video message expressing support for NASA's SpaceX Crew-10, Fox News reported.

In a video posted on X, Hegseth said, "I just want to take a brief moment to say we are praying for you." He added, "We wish you Godspeed, and we look forward to welcoming you all home soon."

"President Trump said to Elon Musk, 'get the astronauts home and do it now' - and they're responding," Hegseth said.

"And they're bringing NASA astronauts, [who] also happen to be retired US Navy Capt. Butch Wilmore and retired US Navy Capt. Suni Williams, home," he added, ANI reported  Fox News.

(With ANI inputs)