They spent nine months at the station, they will return to earth soon

The Crew10 mission started on Friday at 19.03 local time from the Space Center Kennedy in Florida (in Poland it was 00.03 on Saturday). The Crew Dragon capsule was taken to an international space station (ISS) using the Falcon 9 rocket. Initially, the start was planned for Wednesdayhowever, he was postponed for technical reasons.

On board Crew Dragon there are American astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Russian Kirył Pieskov cosmonaut and Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi.

However, the biggest emotions are not who flies to the ISS, but who will come back from it. Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams, who have been to the ISS since June, will get on board the capsule. Astronauts are to leave the station on Saturday night.

After reaching the ISS, the new crew will familiarize themselves with the ongoing scientific and maintenance work of stations.

Wilmore and Williams arrived at ISS 9 months ago using the Boeing Starliner capsule. However, problems with the drive system during the flight forced NASA Until the reference flight – he would be too risky. The planned eight -day expedition has necessarily transformed into a rotational mission. Astronauts conducted scientific research and performed routine maintenance work.

– We were prepared for a long stay, even though we planned to stay briefly – said Barry “Butch” Wilmore at the beginning of March during a press conference.

According to NASA, the “fast pace of surgery” forced some flight safety verification procedures. It belonged, among others Examine fuel leakage during the recent Falcona 9 start and deterioration of the coating status on some Dragon crew capsule engines.