NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts have undergone a refresher training session to prepare for their return to Earth after an extended stay aboard the International Space Station (ISS). The team—comprising NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov—practiced reentry procedures using a computer-based simulation to ensure a safe journey back in the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

Crew-9 is expected to depart the ISS approximately a week after the arrival of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 mission, which is scheduled to launch on March 12 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Crew-10 will carry NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi to the space station.

This crew handover is part of NASA’s ongoing mission to maintain a continuous human presence aboard the ISS, supporting vital scientific research and operational tasks. The Crew-9 mission was prolonged due to technical delays with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which initially left Williams and Wilmore on the ISS longer than planned.

NASA and SpaceX are working closely to ensure a seamless transition between missions. Crew-10’s launch will utilize a previously flown Dragon spacecraft, showcasing the efficiency of reusable space technology and reinforcing the success of the Commercial Crew Program.