NASA’s crewed mission to orbit is about to launch via the SpaceX Crew-10 mission. On 12 March, SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft will lift off the launch pad, enroute to the International Space Station. While relations may appear to be souring on the surface between Elon Musk – SpaceX CEO – and the US Space Agency, due to the DOGE probe, and Musk’s criticisms of the Artemis project. Yet, despite all this, SpaceX still plays a pivotal role in NASA’s space activities – especially ISS crewed flights.
In an update, NASA outlined: “NASA and SpaceX are accelerating the target launch and return dates for the upcoming crew rotation missions to and from the International Space Station. The agency’s Crew-10 launch now is targeting 7:48 p.m. EDT, Wednesday, March 12, pending mission readiness and completion of the agency’s certification of flight readiness process.”
How To Watch NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Mission
Should all go to plan and no postponements arise, Crew-10 is set to launch onboard SpaceX’s Dragon rocket on 12 March. The time of the launch is 7:48 pm EDT (12:48 am in the UK) and NASA will be streaming the launch on all their usual platforms. All systems seem set to go from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. Here’s how you can watch.
NASA’s Netflix space alternative, NASA+ will host pre-launch activities including a crew press conference, the launch itself, and a post launch media conference. Alternative viewing methods include NASA’s website and their YouTube channel. The journey into orbit, and reaching the ISS will last just over a day, with docking planned for 10 am EDT on 13 March.
The Background On NASA’s Next Manned Launch
In NASA’s “11th human spaceflight mission… supported by the Dragon spacecraft since 2020”, Crew-10 will transport four astronauts to ISS. Said astronauts include Commander Anne McClain and pilot Nichole Ayers from NASA. The remaining two astronauts include JAXA’s mission specialist Takuya Onishi and cosmonaut Kirill Peskov from Roscosmos. Their time on ISS will last around 4 months and their mission will entail completing science activities.
Over the course of February 2025, the astronauts completed a series of tasks in preparation for launch. On 17 February, the team familiarised themselves with their Dragon rocket. They tested the “crew equipment interface”, NASA said, in what the agency called “one of the last steps in the crew’s training regimen before launch”. Simultaneously, the crew were able to test their spacesuits, roam the Dragon rocket, check their seat fit, and review their suit for leaks.
Thereafter, the astronauts became accustomed to the interior, reviewed their communication systems, and acclimated to the sound of launch/flight by listening to the rocket’s fans and pumps. Finally, on 26 February, the four astronauts entered quarantine. This was performed to prevent them from becoming contaminated by Earthly illnesses that could compromise the health of other astronauts aboard ISS.
When Will Crew-9 Return?
On 28 September, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Mission took flight for the same destination as Crew-10: ISS. They’ve been onboard ever since, notching up over 150 days in orbit. NASA plans for a swift handover from Crew-9 to Crew-10 over a 7 day period. Thereafter, SpaceX will retrieve the Crew-9 astronauts via its Dragon rocket. This will include bringing stranded astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth. The pair have been stuck on ISS since their Boeing Starliner spacecraft experienced technical difficulties in late 2024.
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