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Hurricane Helene delays SpaceX Crew-9 mission to September 28.
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Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore prepare for return to Earth, test Dragon pressure suits.
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Nick Hague, Aleksandr Gorbunov to launch on Crew-9 mission for six-month ISS stay.
SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been delayed due to Hurricane Helene. The mission, initially scheduled for August 18, is now set to launch on September 28 at 10:47 pm IST. Astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who have been on the ISS since June, are preparing for their return to Earth.
Williams and Wilmore reviewed the Dragon pressure suits they will wear during their journey back. Meanwhile, Williams focused on cargo transfer operations, ensuring the ISS remains well-stocked and experiments can be returned to Earth for analysis. However, their return was delayed due to technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov will launch on the Crew-9 mission for a six-month stay on the ISS. Hague will serve as commander, while Gorbunov will work on ISS maintenance and various scientific experiments. NASA and SpaceX continue to monitor the weather, predicting a 55% chance of favorable conditions for launch.
The Crew-9 mission’s delay has rescheduled Williams and Wilmore’s return to February 2025. Hague and Gorbunov’s launch will provide critical support for the ISS’s ongoing scientific research and maintenance.
