Crew 10 Launches At Sunset, On Its Way To ISS

Crew 10 launch
Falcon 9 rising off of LC-39A Friday evening
Photo: Derek Newsome

It was a good day to have a good day here in Florida, and that’s exactly what NASA, SpaceX and Crew 10 had today at Kennedy Space Center.

Falcon 9 lifted off, carrying three astronauts and one cosmonaut toward orbit and the International Space Station just as the sun was starting to set in the west. Some seven and a half minutes later, SpaceX booster B1090 completed its duty for the day by landing at LZ-1 in Cape Canaveral, 8.8 miles south of LC-39A.

Liftoff of Crew 10. Photo: Charles Boyer
Liftoff of Crew 10. Photo: Charles Boyer

Mechanical issues had delayed this launch, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday, March 12th, but hydraulic issues with ground-side equipment scotched that attempt, with the second launch attempt planned for today. This evening’s attempt was literally picture-perfect, and Falcon 9 rose like clockwork after a quiet countdown.

Press photographers capturing the launch of Crew 10.
Can’t help but cheer: press photographers capturing the launch of Crew 10.
Photo: Charles Boyer, Talk of Titusville

Crew Dragon Endurance is now in orbit, with NASA Astronauts Anne McClain,  Nichole Ayers, JAXA Astronaut Takuya Onishi and Roscosmos Cosmonaut Kirill Peskov aboard. The spacecraft will track down ISS, with docking planned to dock autonomously to the forward-facing port of the station’s Harmony module at approximately 11:30 p.m. ET tomorrow.

Launch Replay

Next Launch

While not officially announced by SpaceX, Starlink 12-16 is expected to launch early Saturday morning.

  • Organization: SpaceX
  • Location: Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA
  • Rocket: Falcon 9
  • Pad: Space Launch Complex 40
  • Status: To Be Confirmed
  • Status Info: Awaiting official confirmation – current date is known with some certainty due to information found at secondary sources.
  • Window Opens: Saturday, 03/15/2025 6:28:00 AM
  • Window Closes: Saturday, 03/15/2025 10:59:00 AM
  • Destination: Low Earth Orbit
  • Mission Description: A batch of 23 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation – SpaceX’s project for space-based Internet communication system.

Crew 10 Launch Gallery

Liftoff of Falcon 9 and Crew 10, March 14. 2025. Photo: Derek Newsome
Photo: Derek Newsome
Liftoff of Falcon 9 and Crew 10, March 14. 2025. Photo: Derek Newsome
Photo: Derek Newsome

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