In a high-stakes space saga straight out of a sci-fi flick, NASA and SpaceX just fired up their engines to bring home two astronauts who’ve been chilling in zero gravity for nine months. Friday’s launch of the Crew-10 mission from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center marked a critical step in relieving NASA veterans Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who’ve been stuck on the ISS since their own ride – Boeing’s glitchy Starliner capsule – left them in orbital limbo. 💫
The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off at 7:03 p.m., carrying four fresh crew members to take over ISS duties. While crew rotations are routine, this mission carries extra weight: Wilmore and Williams are finally set to return March 19, hitching a ride home after their planned eight-day mission ballooned into a marathon due to propulsion system issues. 🛰️
Starliner’s maiden crewed test flight in June ended with the capsule returning empty in September, leaving NASA to tag SpaceX (again) as the rescue squad. For space enthusiasts tracking the commercial space race, this drama underscores SpaceX’s growing role as NASA’s go-to taxi service – while Boeing plays catch-up. 🚀
