As part of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission, four astronauts are gearing up for a long-duration stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled for no earlier than February 2025. The crew includes NASA astronauts Commander Anne McClain and Pilot Nichole Ayers, JAXA astronaut Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov.
This mission marks the 10th crew rotation to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The international team will conduct scientific investigations and technology demonstrations, advancing knowledge and preparing for future space missions, while benefiting life on Earth.
Meet the Crew:
- Anne McClain: A colonel in the U.S. Army, McClain was selected by NASA as an astronaut in 2013. She holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, International Security, and Strategic Studies. McClain has over 2,300 flight hours in various aircraft and previously spent 204 days on the ISS during Expeditions 58 and 59. She has led two spacewalks and held multiple leadership roles within NASA’s Astronaut Office.
- Nichole Ayers: A major in the U.S. Air Force, Ayers is the first member of NASA’s 2021 astronaut class to be assigned to a mission. She has a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a master’s in Computational and Applied Mathematics. Ayers has served as an instructor pilot and mission commander, with over 1,400 flight hours, including 200 combat hours.
- Takuya Onishi: Selected by JAXA in 2009, Onishi has 113 days of space experience from Expeditions 48 and 49, where he became the first Japanese astronaut to robotically capture the Cygnus spacecraft. He holds a degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics and has over 3,700 flight hours as a pilot for All Nippon Airways. Onishi is now a certified JAXA flight director.
- Kirill Peskov: A first-time space traveler, Peskov was selected as a cosmonaut in 2018. He holds an engineering degree and has experience as a co-pilot on Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft. Peskov has extensive training in skydiving, zero-gravity environments, scuba diving, and wilderness survival.
For more than 20 years, the ISS has served as a hub for advancing scientific knowledge and demonstrating new technologies. It plays a crucial role in NASA’s efforts to understand and overcome the challenges of long-duration spaceflight, supporting future missions to the Moon and Mars as part of NASA’s Artemis campaign. As commercial companies expand human space transportation services, the ISS remains central to a robust low Earth orbit economy.–News Desk