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SpaceX’s Crew Dragon is launching on September 28 to rescue stranded NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station.
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The spacecraft will first carry two new astronauts to the ISS for a five-month mission and then return with Williams and Wilmore in February 2025.
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The rescue mission was necessitated after NASA deemed the Boeing Starliner too risky for their return due to mechanical issues.
SpaceX and NASA are gearing up for a crucial rescue mission to bring back two stranded astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS). The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is set to launch on September 28 from Florida, carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov for a five-month science mission.
After dropping off the new crew members, the Crew Dragon will return to Earth in February 2025 with astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who were stranded at the ISS due to mechanical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The Starliner had developed helium leaks and other problems, prompting NASA to deem it unsafe for the astronauts’ return.
The launch was initially scheduled for September 26 but was delayed due to Tropical Storm Helene. You can watch the launch live on NASA’s website, NASA+, and various social media platforms starting at 6:40 pm IST on September 28.
This mission marks the ninth crew rotation and the 10th human spaceflight to the ISS supported by Dragon since 2020 under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program
Our @SpaceX #Crew9 mission to the @Space_Station is targeted to launch Saturday, Sept. 28 at 1:17pm ET (1717 UTC) from Space Launch Complex-40—the first human spaceflight mission to launch from this pad. Watch on our digital channels and NASA+: https://t.co/gr5CFe2JDj pic.twitter.com/CWZ6Kc1jxg
— NASA (@NASA) September 25, 2024
