SpaceX has successfully launched a mission to return two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station for several months due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule. The astronauts were NASA’s Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been on the ISS since June 2024.
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The SpaceX Crew-9 mission launched successfully on September 28, 2024 from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 1:17 p.m.
The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off, carrying two crew members onboard the Dragon capsule nicknamed Freedom, while two seats were left empty for the return trip of the delayed Starliner astronauts. This was the first time the newly prepared launch pad was used for a crewed mission.
The mission is crucial for bringing back NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stuck on the ISS for over 100 days longer than planned due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Williams and Wilmore were transported to the ISS on the Starliner capsule in June 2024 for what was expected to be an eight-day test mission.
However, the Starliner capsule experienced several technical problems including helium leaks and propulsion system issues, making it unsafe for the astronauts to return aboard the Starliner.
The Crew Dragon spacecraft carried by a Falcon 9 rocket was launched on Saturday, September 28, 2024, at 1:17 PM. The mission took off from Pad 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
This is the first piloted spaceflight to launch from this pad with prior Crew Dragon missions taking off from Pad 39A at the nearby Kennedy Space Center. The mission was originally scheduled for an earlier date but was delayed by two days due to unfavorable weather conditions caused by Hurricane Helene.
An experienced astronaut from NASA, Hague has previously spent 203 days in space and survived an in-flight abort during a 2018 Soyuz mission. His leadership and technical expertise made him the perfect candidate for commanding this unique mission.
Gorbunov was included in this mission through a collaboration agreement between NASA and Roscosmos. Though not trained as a pilot, Gorbunov provided crucial assistance during the launch and dynamic phases of the flight.
The focus of the mission is the retrieval of NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams. Both astronauts have been on the ISS for more than eight months after their original spacecraft, Boeing’s Starliner encountered severe malfunctions, leaving them stranded.
The Boeing Starliner was designed to transport astronauts, experienced helium leaks and failures in five maneuvering jets, deeming it unfit for human transport.
As a result, the spacecraft returned to Earth without its crew on September 7, leaving Wilmore and Williams without an immediate return option.
Originally, the Crew Dragon was intended to carry a four-member team. However, NASA adjusted the mission plan removing two astronauts (Stephanie Wilson and Zena Cardman) from the crew list to make room for Wilmore and Williams on the return journey.
The Crew Dragon lifted off with two astronauts and two empty seats intended for Wilmore and Williams. This altered setup shows the flexible and adaptive approach NASA and SpaceX took in response to the Starliner crisis.
The Falcon 9 rocket’s first stage executed a successful landing back at Cape Canaveral. The Crew Dragon initiated a 28-hour journey to the ISS with plans to dock autonomously at the station’s forward port at 5:30 PM on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
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NASA decided to rely on SpaceX’s Dragon capsule for the return mission after Boeing’s Starliner was deemed too risky for crew transport back to Earth.
SpaceX, being NASA’s trusted partner under the Commercial Crew Program stepped in to bring Williams and Wilmore home. Two crew members, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov were assigned to the outbound Crew-9 mission, while the two remaining seats are reserved for Williams and Wilmore during the return leg of the journey.
Crew-9 originally had a full four-person team planned, but NASA made adjustments to accommodate the return of Williams and Wilmore. NASA astronauts Stephanie Wilson and Zena Cardman were removed from the Crew-9 roster in late August to free up space for the Starliner astronauts.
Cardman, who was set to be the commander of the mission handed over her responsibilities to Nick Hague, making Hague the commander for Crew-9.
The Falcon 9 rocket performed as expected with nine engines providing the necessary thrust to launch the rocket’s first stage, which separated 2.5 minutes after liftoff.
After separation, the rocket’s second stage fired up to propel the Dragon capsule to orbital speeds, reaching more than 17,000 miles per hour.
SpaceX reused the Falcon 9’s first stage, which successfully guided itself back to Earth and landed at a ground pad for refurbishment.
Once in orbit, the Dragon capsule began its maneuver to align itself with the ISS, where it is expected to dock on Sunday, September 29, 2024 around 5:30 p.m. After the successful docking, Hague and Gorbunov will join the ISS crew and assist in station activities until the scheduled return flight in February 2025, bringing back Williams and Wilmore.
The Crew Dragon will dock with the ISS, which currently hosts five other astronauts including NASA astronaut Don Pettit, Russian cosmonauts Aleksey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner and Wilmore and Williams themselves.
Hague, Gorbunov, Wilmore and Williams will replace the current Crew-8 team, who have been aboard the ISS since March 3, 2024. This crew led by Matthew Dominick along with astronauts Mike Barratt, Jeanette Epps and cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin, will return to Earth around October 7 after a 217-day mission.
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