--- title: "Station Readies for Upcoming SpaceX Crew Swap, Keeps Up Space Research" id: 127793 type: "post" slug: "station-readies-for-upcoming-spacex-crew-swap-keeps-up-space-research" author: "NSE" published: "2025-03-11T18:47:40+00:00" modified: "2025-03-11T18:47:41+00:00" canonical: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2025/03/11/station-readies-for-upcoming-spacex-crew-swap-keeps-up-space-research/" markdown_url: "https://newspaceeconomy.ca/2025/03/11/station-readies-for-upcoming-spacex-crew-swap-keeps-up-space-research.md" description: "The SpaceX Falcon rocket that will launch the Crew-10 mission aboard the Dragon crew spacecraft to the International Space Station stands at it launch pad at…" language: "en-US" category: - "Current News" - "Earth Orbit" - "Editor’s Picks" - "Space Economy" - "Space Exploration" post_tag: - "International Space Station" - "Microgravity" - "NASA" - "SpaceX" - "Syndicated" --- # Station Readies for Upcoming SpaceX Crew Swap, Keeps Up Space Research [![The Expedition 72 crew poses for a portrait inside the International Space Station's Harmony module with a cake commemorating a total of 3,000 cumulative days in space gained between the individual crew members. In the front row (from left), are Roscosmos cosmonaut Ivan vagner, NASA astronaut Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. In the back (from left), are NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Don Pettit, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, and NASA astronaut Suni Williams.](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/station-readies-for-upcoming-spacex-crew-swap-keeps-up-space-research.jpg?resize=696%2C464&ssl=1)](https://i0.wp.com/newspaceeconomy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/station-readies-for-upcoming-spacex-crew-swap-keeps-up-space-research.jpg?ssl=1) *The Expedition 72 crew poses for a portrait inside the International Space Station’s Harmony module with a cake commemorating a total of 3,000 cumulative days in space gained between the individual crew members. NASA* The [SpaceX](https://www.spacex.com/) Falcon 9 rocket that will launch the [Crew-10](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-10/) mission aboard the Dragon crew spacecraft to the [International Space Station](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/) stands at its launch pad at [Kennedy Space Center](https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/) in Florida today. Crew-10 is counting down to its liftoff targeted for 7:48 p.m. EDT on Wednesday with [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/) astronauts [Anne McClain](https://www.nasa.gov/people/anne-c-mcclain/) and [Nichole Ayers](https://www.nasa.gov/people/nasa-astronaut-nichole-ayers/), JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. For an on-time launch, the Crew-10 foursome would dock to the orbital outpost at 6 a.m. on Thursday and begin their long-duration mission as [Expedition 72](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/expedition-72/) flight engineers. Following the arrival of the new crewmates and after a handover period, four orbital residents will return to Earth aboard another Dragon crew spacecraft ending the [Crew-9](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/nasas-spacex-crew-9/) mission. [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/) astronaut [Nick Hague](https://www.nasa.gov/people/nick-hague/) will command Dragon from undocking to its splashdown carrying [NASA](https://www.nasa.gov/) astronauts [Suni Williams](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/sunita-williams/) and [Butch Wilmore](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/barry-e-wilmore/), and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The quartet has spent the last couple of weeks packing cargo and personal items inside Dragon as well as training on procedures for the upcoming departure. As crew swap activities are underway, advanced space science and lab maintenance continued aboard the orbital outpost on Monday. Hague once again strapped electrodes to his legs that sent electrical signals from a control unit to [stimulate his muscles](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/station/research-explorer/investigation/?#id=8849). Results may improve muscle function, shorten workout sessions, and lead to lighter exercise equipment offsetting space-caused muscle atrophy. NASA Flight Engineer [Don Pettit](https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/astronauts/donald-r-pettit/) stowed research gear and checked out other components that supported the [Cell Gravisensing](https://www.nasa.gov/mission/station/research-explorer/investigation/?#id=8029) experiment observing how cells respond to microgravity helping scientists develop additional ways to treat muscle and bone loss in space and on Earth. Williams and Wilmore spent Monday on station upkeep while also gearing up for the end of their mission. Williams rerouted and reconnected power and data lines in the [Columbus laboratory module](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/columbus-laboratory-module/) while Wilmore tested wireless gear inside the [Unity module](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/unity-module/). Next, the duo set up standard emergency hardware in preparation for Crew-10’s arrival then continued packing for their upcoming departure. Gorbunov joined his fellow cosmonauts station Commander Alexey Ovchinin and Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner and continued unpacking the [Progress 91 cargo craft](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/2025/03/01/progress-cargo-craft-docks-to-station-resupplying-crew/) and updated computer documentation required after the arrival of a new spacecraft. Ovchinin and Vagner then entered the [Soyuz MS-26](https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2024/09/11/soyuz-spacecraft-docks-to-station-with-three-crew-members-aboard-2/) spacecraft docked to the [Rassvet module](https://www.nasa.gov/international-space-station/rassvet-mini-research-module/) and performed a fit test with their launch and entry suits. *Learn more about station activities by following the [space station blog](https://www.nasa.gov/blogs/spacestation/), [@space_station](https://x.com/space_station) and [@ISS_Research](https://x.com/ISS_Research) on X, as well as the [ISS Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/ISS) and [ISS Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/iss) accounts.* *Get the latest from NASA delivered every week. Subscribe here: [https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe](https://www.nasa.gov/subscribe)* Source: NASA