Sunita Williams to finally return on earth as Crew-10 successfully reaches ISS

Four crew members of NASA's SpaceX Crew-10 mission have successfully arrived at the International Space Station (ISS), marking a significant step in space travel and astronaut recovery. The mission carries NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Their arrival ensures a smooth transition for operations aboard the ISS.

The Crew-10 mission also plays a crucial role in bringing back NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded in space since June 2024 due to technical malfunctions in their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. NASA and SpaceX have coordinated efforts to facilitate their safe return, with Crew-10’s arrival marking the beginning of their long-awaited journey home.

The mission launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:03 PM ET on Friday (4:33 AM IST). After a smooth flight, the Dragon spacecraft docked at the ISS around 10:00 AM, successfully completing the first phase of its mission.

Upon Crew-10’s arrival, Sunita Williams expressed her joy at the long-awaited reunion. "Houston, thanks for tuning in early morning. Great to see our friends arrive," she said, highlighting the emotional significance of the mission. Both Williams and Wilmore had initially embarked on a 10-day mission aboard the Boeing Starliner on June 5, 2024. However, the mission was derailed due to thruster malfunctions during approach and docking, forcing them to remain aboard the ISS indefinitely.

NASA and Boeing conducted extensive investigations into the Starliner’s technical failures before ultimately deeming it too risky to bring the astronauts back. With the arrival of Crew-10, their safe return is finally within reach, ensuring that one of the most prolonged astronaut stays in recent history will soon come to an end.