Stunning Sunrise Encounter: SpaceX Dragon Prepares for Crew-10 Launch – March 11, 2025 Photo of the Day

As the sun rises, a SpaceX rocket and its Crew Dragon capsule look stunning at the launch pad in Florida. This eye-catching series of photos captures the beauty of space exploration.

On March 11, just a day before a mission to send astronauts to the International Space Station, SpaceX showcased its Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule, named Endurance. The mission, known as Crew-10, will carry four astronauts, including commander Anne McClain and pilot Nichole Ayers from NASA, along with Takuya Onishi from Japan and Kirill Peskov from Russia. The crew will embark on a six-month journey as part of their research and work on the station.

This mission marks the fourth flight for the Crew Dragon capsule Endurance. Notably, the flight will use a Falcon 9 first-stage booster that has flown before, evidenced by the soot and wear visible in the images. SpaceX plans to land this rocket again on a nearby pad after launch.

The photos were shared by launch photographer Ben Cooper, who captured the breathtaking views as dawn broke over the launch pad.

SpaceX will launch the Crew-10 mission from Launch Pad 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. This site is historic, having hosted moments like the Apollo 11 mission, which took the first astronauts to the Moon in 1969, as well as countless missions from NASA’s space shuttle program. SpaceX secured a 20-year lease for this pad in 2014.

What makes launch photography special is the combination of cutting-edge engineering and the natural beauty of the landscape. The Kennedy Space Center is located on Florida’s east coast, surrounded by a nature preserve, providing stunning seaside views as day breaks.

Recently, NASA cleared the Crew-10 astronauts for launch on March 7. This mission is particularly significant as it will serve as a relief crew for the Crew-9 astronauts, who unexpectedly extended their mission from ten days to nine months when their Boeing Starliner capsule had an issue that delayed their return. They are scheduled to come back to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Crew-9 Dragon on March 16.

For those interested in learning more about SpaceX, its rockets, and Crew Dragon, there are many resources available that provide an in-depth look at the thrilling world of space travel.