New crew launches to space station, kicking off return process for two NASA astronauts

The new crew's launch to the space station means that NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally about to return to Earth after an unexpected nine months in space.

Four astronauts rocketed into orbit Friday evening on their way to the International Space Station.

NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov lifted off at 7:03 p.m. ET from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, roaring into pristine blue skies over Florida roughly 48 hours after a first launch attempt was scrubbed.

“This mission is a testament of what humans can achieve when we work together. Go Crew-10,” Ayers radioed to mission control in the final minutes of a smooth countdown.

The flight, a mission known as Crew-10, was part of NASA’s regular rotation of crew members to and from the space station. But it has attracted more attention than usual because it means NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore are finally closing in on their long-awaited flight back to Earth.

Crew-10 mission Roscosmos cosmonaut Kirill Peskov, NASA astronauts Nichole Ayers and Anne McClain and JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi at the Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday.Gregg Newton / AFP / Getty ImagesWilliams and Wilmore have been in the spotlight for months because of the unusual circumstances of their time in orbit. The pair was expected to stay at the space station for just a week as part of the first crewed test flight of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June, but problems with the vehicle forced them to remain at the orbiting outpost.

https://www.nbcnews.com/science/space/watch-live-nasa-astronauts-launch-space-station-rcna196229

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