After 148 days on the International Space Station (ISS) International Space Station (ISS)the Crew-10 mission culminated its service with a controlled descent off the coast of California. The splashdown, carried out aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule SpaceX’s Dragon capsulecapsule, marked the end of an expedition that contributed significantly to microgravity research efforts and preparation for future extraplanetary missions.
Crew-10 mission members
The crew consisted of Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, NASA astronauts; Takuya Onishi, from the Japanese agency JAXA; and Kirill Peskov, from Roscosmos. Their arrival at the ISS took place on March 16, after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Center.
During their stay, they carried out more than two thousand orbits around the planet, completing numerous experiments focused on the behavior of living organisms and technologies applied to space exploration.
Among the main studies carried out were those related to the impact of radiation on plant DNA, the effects of microgravity on human tissues and the observation of algae as a biological resource. Tests were also conducted on new life support and eye monitoring systems.
In addition, McClain and Ayers conducted a spacewalk in spacewalk in May in May to install structural support equipment on the station.
Successful descent and future preparations
The undocking of the ship occurred on August 8. After a nearly 18-hour journey, the crew splashed down safely in the Pacific Ocean. The recovery operation was coordinated by SpaceX teams, ensuring a safe transition back to the mainland. From there, the astronauts were transferred to the Johnson Space Center for postmission evaluation.
This return comes a few days after the docking of the Crew-11 mission, reaffirming the continuity of the Commercial Crew Program. This initiative, in collaboration with private companies such as SpaceX, consolidates an operational model that allows sustained research in low orbit and the projection of flights to the Moon and Mars.
A few hours ago NASA released a video of the NASA crew’s return to Ellington Field. Watch it below.
Source and photos: NASA | nasahqphoto
