NASA and SpaceX are pushing up Crew-10’s launch date by reusing a previously flown Dragon spacecraft, Endurance. This strategic shift speeds up both Crew-10’s arrival and Crew-9’s return while ensuring mission safety.

NASA on Feb. 11 changed plans to fly its next International Space Station (ISS) crew aboard a new SpaceX Dragon capsule, avoiding additional homecoming delays for two NASA astronauts who flew to the station in June 2024 for a Boeing CST-100 Starliner flight test.

NASA will return Starliner astronauts to Earth early along with their Crew-9 companions, after deciding to swap Crew-10 spacecraft to launch the SpaceX mission sooner.