Last Chance to Get Crew-10 Merch Before Launch
As NASA and SpaceX prepare for the launch of the Crew-10 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on March 12, we’re eagerly watching updates for this latest expedition. This mission is important for a number of reasons, perhaps most notably because it’s a rescue mission on top of being a research project.
Crew-10 marks another significant milestone in the ongoing collaboration between NASA and SpaceX, showcasing the continued success of the Commercial Crew Program.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been stranded aboard the ISS since June 2024. Their prolonged stay, initially planned for a brief duration, was extended due to technical malfunctions with their initial return vehicle, the Boeing Starliner.
Like previous NASA and SpaceX collaborations, Crew-10’s launch aboard the Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center is an interesting showcase of private sector innovation in aerospace technology. The Crew Dragon spacecraft, aptly named Endurance, will bring home the Crew-9 members after a nine month delay.
Not for the first time, the SpaceX Crew Dragon is demonstrating its own vital importance in maintaining consistent access to the space station.
The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is set to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 7:48 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, March 12. This mission will be the 11th flight of the Dragon spacecraft carrying humans as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
The four-person crew consists of Commander Anne McClain (NASA), Pilot Nichole Ayers (NASA), Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi (JAXA), and Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos).
This diverse crew represents the international cooperation that has become a hallmark of the ISS program. Notably, Nichole Ayers will become the first member of NASA’s 2021 astronaut class to launch to orbit.
During their six-month stay aboard the ISS, the Crew-10 astronauts will conduct over 200 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, including material flammability tests to improve future spacecraft designs, testing for a backup lunar navigation system, and ongoing research on how space affects the human body and mind.
Commander Anne McClain highlighted the importance of their work, stating, “Every single year that space station flies, there is more benefit to everybody on Earth.”
The Crew-10 mission patch, part of The Space Store’s patch collection, is a must-have memento for this flight. The striking patch design features wings to represent the crew’s pilot backgrounds and an ascending/descending trajectory forming a Roman numeral X for Crew-10.
Made in the USA by AB Emblem, this approximately 4” diameter patch is a perfect way to commemorate a historical rescue mission and a great addition to any space memorabilia collection.
If you want to own a piece of space history, check out The Space Store’s wide range of NASA and SpaceX merchandise.