NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 ‘Go’ for Launch Following Review

NASA is a little more than 24 hours away from the launch of agency’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station. The four-person crew is scheduled to liftoff at 7:48 p.m. EDT Wednesday, March 12, from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Leaders from NASA and SpaceX completed the company’s Launch Readiness Review on Tuesday, polling “go” to proceed into the launch count. Ahead of the SpaceX-led review, NASA completed a Crew-10 Delta Flight Readiness Review after several days of testing and technical reviews to confirm the closure of the following items:

• SpaceX completed supplemental ground testing over the weekend, demonstrating Draco thruster performance with reused engine coatings that protect the thruster from oxidation. Following successful testing, data analysis and flight rationale were presented and accepted by NASA.
• A summary also was presented to NASA leadership with the latest findings stemming from a recent post-landing fuel leak and engine fire on a Starlink Falcon 9 booster. Teams reviewed data from Sunday’s static fire of the Crew-10 booster’s first stage, inspected the booster’s engine bay, and conducted “sniff” checks without any indication of leaks. NASA leaders determined that while the root cause of the Starlink post-landing fire is still under review, there is sufficient evidence to provide clearance to proceed with the crewed launch.

“Over the past six weeks, the joint NASA, SpaceX team has displayed remarkable dedication, adaptability, and expertise in delivering on a unique and challenging mission,” said Steve Stich, manager, NASA Commercial Crew Program. “Throughout this intense period, I am immensely proud of the collective effort put forth to resolve late breaking technical issues, adjust operations as needed, and keep safety at the forefront of everything we do.”

NASA astronauts Anne McClain, commander, and Nichole Ayers, pilot, along with mission specialists JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, will launch aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 and Dragon spacecraft named Endurance. Live coverage of the Crew-10 launch will begin at 3:45 p.m. on NASA+. Learn how to watch NASA content through a variety of platforms, including social media.

Weather officials with the U.S. Space Force 45th Weather Squadron continue to predict a greater-than-95% chance of favorable weather conditions at the launch pad for liftoff. Teams also are monitoring the weather over the Atlantic coast, with winds and precipitation as watch items in some areas throughout the week.

Once Crew-10 is aboard the orbiting laboratory, they will conduct a brief handover period with NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission to familiarize themselves with ongoing science and station maintenance work, which supports a safer transition of operations. Following crew handover and pending weather conditions, NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Suni Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, will board the Crew-9 SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and return to Earth.

Crew-10 is scheduled to conduct material flammability tests for future spacecraft designs, engage with students worldwide via the ISS Ham Radio program and use the program’s existing hardware to test a backup lunar navigation solution, and participate in an integrated study to better understand physiological and psychological changes to the human body to provide valuable insights for future deep space missions.

More details about the launch will be posted on the mission blog, @commercial_crew on X, or commercial crew on Facebook.