On Saturday, September 28, at 1:17 p.m. EDT (6:17 p.m. WAT), SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
The mission includes a special objective: rescuing two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been stranded on the ISS for months due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
The astronauts were left on the ISS following the failure of Boeing’s Starliner, which encountered helium leaks and propulsion problems after docking in June 2024.
While their initial mission was planned to last only eight days, Wilmore and Williams remained onboard indefinitely as NASA deemed Starliner unsafe for their return to Earth.
The spacecraft was sent back to Earth without its crew, leaving the astronauts awaiting a new transport solution.
Crew-9’s Mission Objectives
SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, part of NASA’s ongoing astronaut rotation program, will not only retrieve the stranded astronauts but will also conduct extensive research.
The crew onboard includes NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, who will join the Expedition 72 team on the ISS.
They are set to carry out around 200 scientific experiments and demonstrations during their six-month stay, contributing to advancements in human space exploration.
NASA’s Associate Administrator Jim Free praised SpaceX for adapting to the mission, saying, “This was a unique situation, but SpaceX’s flexibility ensured we could safely bring home our astronauts while continuing important research.”
Boeing’s Starliner Setback
The Starliner spacecraft, developed under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program as a competitor to SpaceX’s Dragon capsule, remains grounded as Boeing works to resolve the technical difficulties.
The delay has further highlighted the challenges Boeing faces in competing with SpaceX, which has now completed nine successful crew rotation missions to the ISS.
Despite the setback, NASA sees Starliner as an essential part of its future human spaceflight plans.
The current Crew-9 mission, while an immediate solution, tells the importance of Boeing resolving these issues for future missions.
Looking Ahead
Once on the ISS, Hague and Gorbunov will integrate with the existing Expedition 72 team, which includes astronauts from both NASA and Roscosmos.
Wilmore and Williams are scheduled to return to Earth aboard the SpaceX Dragon in February 2025, marking the end of their extended mission.
The Crew-9 mission continues NASA’s long-term strategy of utilizing private companies for human spaceflight.
NASA Administrator Bill Nelson commented, “We live in an exciting period of exploration and innovation in the stars,” as he congratulated SpaceX on the successful launch.
NASA and SpaceX remain focused on ensuring continuous human presence in low Earth orbit, conducting critical research that will pave the way for deeper space exploration, and overcoming the technical challenges faced by both commercial partners.
