SpaceX's crew successfully descends back to Earth following a 5-month stint at the International Space Station
The SpaceX Crew-10 mission, which returned astronauts Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, and Kirill Peskov to Earth on August 9, 2025, after spending nearly five months on the International Space Station (ISS), marked a significant milestone in NASA's space travel history.
The crew's Crew Dragon capsule, named Endurance, splashed down in the Pacific Ocean off the California coast, marking the first Pacific Ocean recovery for a Commercial Crew mission. This operational variation from some earlier missions that splashed down in the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean is a testament to the advancements in space travel technology and collaboration between private and public entities.
The mission launched on March 14, 2025, from Kennedy Space Center atop a Falcon 9 rocket, docking about 29 hours later. McClain commanded the mission, Ayers served as pilot, and Onishi and Peskov were mission specialists. This flight marked the first spaceflight for Ayers and Peskov and the second for McClain and Onishi. During their stay, the crew conducted over 200 scientific experiments that advanced human readiness for deep space exploration.
In comparison to previous SpaceX and NASA missions, Crew-10 was the 10th operational commercial crew rotation under NASA's Commercial Crew Program. It maintained the continued collaboration among NASA, JAXA, and Roscosmos astronauts aboard the ISS. The mission used the same type of Crew Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 launch vehicle as prior commercial crew flights but contributed unique science data crucial for preparing humans for beyond-low-Earth-orbit missions.
The change in location for the splashdown was to reduce the risk of debris falling on populated areas. Elon Musk's company switched capsule returns from Florida to California's coast earlier this year. This shift in recovery sites is part of NASA's evolving approach to low-Earth orbit and beyond exploration.
The recent SpaceX splashdown comes after the Apollo-Soyuz mission in 1975, which was the last time NASA astronauts returned to the Pacific from space. In the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz mission, a détente meet-up of Americans and Soviets in orbit, the astronauts also returned in a spacecraft that splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.
The Crew-10 mission also saw the first back-to-back private crews experiencing Pacific homecomings for the first time. Back-to-back private crews previously returned to the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. This shift in recovery locations reflects the maturity and routine cadence of commercial crew operations.
Before leaving the space station, McClain made note of "some tumultuous times on Earth" with people struggling. She stated that their mission was meant to be a reminder of what people can do when they work together, when they explore together. This sentiment echoes the ongoing international cooperation of NASA's commercial crew efforts, as seen in the overlapping Crew-11 mission, which brought fresh astronauts to the station and represented the ongoing cadence of NASA's commercial crew efforts.
In summary, the SpaceX Crew-10 mission reflects the maturity and routine cadence of commercial crew operations with successful international collaboration, extended scientific output, and operational advancements like Pacific splashdowns. This mission underscores NASA's evolving approach to low-Earth orbit and beyond exploration.
| Aspect | SpaceX Crew-10 | Previous Missions | |-------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | Crew Composition | Anne McClain (Commander), Nichole Ayers (Pilot), Takuya Onishi, Kirill Peskov (Mission Specialists) | Mixed NASA, JAXA, and Roscosmos astronauts as usual | | Duration | Nearly 5 months (140+ days) | Similar to prior ISS rotations | | Launch Vehicle | Falcon 9 | Falcon 9 consistently used since Commercial Crew Program start | | Capsule Name | Endurance | Crew Dragon capsules (Endurance also used in Crew-3) | | Splashdown Location | Pacific Ocean off California | Usually Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean, Pacific splashdown is newer | | Scientific Work | 200+ experiments focused on deep-space readiness | Continues focus on ISS science, with increasing emphasis on materials and human health research | | Significance | 10th operational crew rotation mission under Commercial Crew Program | Part of ongoing NASA collaboration with private sector and international partners | | Crew-11 overlap | Handed over duties to Crew-11 during mission end | Typical handover procedure for ISS crews |
- The Crew-10 mission's choice to splash down in the Pacific Ocean, rather than the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean, signifies a progression in space travel technology, showcasing collaborative efforts between private and public entities.
- The end of the Crew-10 mission marked a significant milestone not only for NASA's space travel history but also for space-and-astronomy, as the crew's scientific experiments advanced human readiness for deep space exploration through technology.
