SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission on Sunday achieved a major milestone by successfully docking with the International Space Station (ISS) to rescue two stranded astronauts.
The Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1:17 PM EDT (1717 GMT) on September 28, and made contact with the ISS at 5:30 PM the following day.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov boarded the ISS after docking, where they were warmly welcomed by station commander Suni Williams and other crew members.
Hague and Gorbunov are undertaking the critical task of rescuing Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been stranded on the ISS for several months due to issues with their Boeing-designed Starliner spacecraft.
The Starliner faced propulsion system problems during its inaugural crewed flight in June 2024, leading to an unexpected extension of Williams and Wilmore’s stay, which was initially planned for eight days.
With the arrival of Crew-9, Hague and Gorbunov are set to remain on the ISS for approximately five months, while Williams and Wilmore are scheduled to return to Earth after spending eight months in orbit.
During their stay, the Crew-9 mission aims to conduct about 200 scientific experiments, contributing to ongoing research in microgravity.
The launch, initially slated for mid-August, was postponed to late September for reliability assessments of the Starliner, further delayed by Hurricane Helene.
SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, has established a routine of conducting crew rotation missions to the ISS approximately every six months, solidifying its role as a key player in the future of space exploration.
