A SpaceX mission, known as Crew-9, is set to launch on Saturday with the goal of reuniting NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore with the spacecraft that will bring them home after an extended stay on the International Space Station (ISS).
The two astronauts have been aboard the ISS for over 100 days longer than initially planned due to complications with the Boeing Starliner capsule that was supposed to return them to Earth. The launch will take place at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with a backup window on Sunday if necessary. NASA will stream the event live for public viewing.
The mission was initially delayed due to Hurricane Helene, which posed a threat to Florida and required the spacecraft to be rolled back to its hangar. After the weather cleared, preparations resumed for the launch, which will feature NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom.
Unlike most NASA Commercial Crew Program missions, which typically carry four astronauts, only two crew members will be aboard for the outbound journey. The mission also includes two empty seats for Williams and Wilmore, who will use them on the return trip in 2025.
The decision to use the SpaceX spacecraft for the astronauts’ return came after NASA deemed the Boeing Starliner too risky due to ongoing technical issues, including helium leaks and thruster malfunctions.
SpaceX Crew-9 Mission to Launch, Returning NASA Astronauts Stranded by Starliner DelaysWilliams and Wilmore had originally traveled to the ISS in the Starliner for what was supposed to be a brief test flight. However, after months of troubleshooting, NASA determined the Starliner was not safe for crew transport back to Earth. As a result, the space agency shifted their return plan to SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule.
The Crew Dragon launch will use a Falcon 9 rocket, with its first stage separating and returning to land in Florida for refurbishment. Meanwhile, the second stage will propel the spacecraft into orbit, where it will eventually dock with the ISS.
Hague and Gorbunov are expected to reach the space station by Sunday. Afterward, Williams and Wilmore will prepare for their extended stay in space, awaiting their 2025 return trip on the Dragon spacecraft.
NASA remains reliant on SpaceX for crew transportation as Boeing continues to struggle with the Starliner program, originally designed to serve alongside SpaceX in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Boeing has faced delays and technical challenges since its contract in 2014, while SpaceX began routine missions in 2020.
In response to the situation, NASA restructured Crew-9 to accommodate the return of Williams and Wilmore, removing astronauts Stephanie Wilson and Zena Cardman from the mission to make room for the Starliner crew.
Williams and Wilmore have adapted to their extended stay aboard the ISS, transitioning to full-time crew members. Williams, now a commander on the ISS, expressed her disappointment about missing family events but emphasized her enjoyment of life in space.
Wilmore, meanwhile, has accepted the longer mission, focusing on the work at hand. Hague and Gorbunov will soon join them, marking the beginning of the next phase of this extended mission.