NASA Crew-10 Astronauts Return Safely After Five-Month ISS Mission
Four astronauts from NASA Crew-10 mission have safely returned to Earth after spending nearly five months aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The team splashed down off the coast of California on Saturday, 9 August, ending a 146-day crew rotation mission.
NASA Crew-10 Splashdown After 17.5-Hour Journey
US astronauts Nichole Ayers and mission commander Anne McClain were joined by Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov for the journey home. The crew boarded SpaceX’s gumdrop-shaped Dragon capsule on Friday afternoon for a 17.5-hour return flight from the orbiting laboratory.
Rescue teams assisted the astronauts out of the capsule shortly after splashdown. NASA confirmed that all four were in good condition following the long-duration mission.
Crew Rotation and Mission Timeline
The NASA Crew-10 astronauts launched to the ISS on 14 March as part of a planned crew rotation, replacing the Crew-9 team. Crew-9 included NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were delivered to the station aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft and remain in orbit.
During their time on the ISS, the Crew-10 team supported ongoing station operations and collaborated with ground teams on a wide range of research activities.
Over 200 Science Experiments Completed
NASA stated that the astronauts returned with “important and time-sensitive research” gathered in the unique microgravity conditions of the ISS. The mission’s science portfolio included more than 200 experiments, covering areas such as human health, advanced materials, and space technology.
The data will now be analysed on Earth, contributing to both space exploration goals and scientific advancements that can benefit life on the planet.
with inputs from Reuters