Cape Canaveral, Florida: SpaceX successfully launched the Crew-9 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station yesterday at 1:17 p.m. ET (1717 GMT), with the goal of bringing back NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry ‘Butch’ Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts were stranded due to issues with their original Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, piloted by NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, is expected to dock with the ISS on September 30, 2024, at approximately 5:30 p.m. ET (2130 GMT). The capsule, designed to accommodate four people, carries two empty seats reserved for Williams and Wilmore, who are scheduled to return to Earth in February 2025.
Williams and Wilmore originally reached the ISS on June 5, 2024, aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule for what was meant to be an eight-day mission. However, the Starliner experienced technical malfunctions, including helium leaks and thruster failures, which delayed docking and prevented a safe return. After extensive testing, NASA decided to return the Starliner without its crew, opting for a SpaceX vehicle for their return.
The Crew-9 mission, initially scheduled for mid-August, was postponed to September 28 due to evaluations of the Starliner’s reliability and weather concerns from Hurricane Helene. The successful launch used a newly commissioned launch pad at Cape Canaveral, marking the first crewed mission from the site.
During their extended mission, Williams, Wilmore, Hague, and Gorbunov will conduct over 200 scientific experiments, including studies on blood clotting, plant growth in space, and vision changes in astronauts. The four-member Crew-8, currently on the ISS, will hand over their duties and return to Earth on another SpaceX craft.
NASA chief Bill Nelson congratulated the successful launch, stating, “We live in an exciting period of exploration and innovation in the stars.” SpaceX, led by CEO Elon Musk, continues its partnership with NASA to rotate ISS crews, with missions scheduled every six months. This collaboration highlights the importance of public-private partnerships in advancing space exploration.