NASA and SpaceX on Friday launched a long-awaited crew to the International Space Station that opens the door to bringing home U.S. astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stuck on the orbital lab for nine months.

A SpaceX capsule carrying a fresh crew to the space station launched Friday, setting the stage for the Starliner astronauts to finally come home.

The NASA and SpaceX mission is on track to launch NASA's Crew-10 mission to the Space Station Friday night at 7:03 p.m. Stranded astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore head back to Earth Wednesday.