SpaceX launches spacecraft to pick up astronauts stranded on ISS

NASA's deputy administrator said he was grateful for SpaceX's support and flexibility in this operation.

On September 28, space exploration company SpaceX successfully launched the Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida (USA), carrying the Dragon spacecraft and Crew-9 crew to the International Space Station (ISS).

Ms. Sunita Williams, one of two astronauts stuck on the ISS - (Photo: businesstoday).

In addition to deploying the Crew-9 crew, the mission will also be responsible for "rescuing" American astronauts stranded on the ISS back to Earth. This is also the first time the new Falcon 9 launcher has been used for a manned mission, marking an important milestone in space exploration.

After the launch, NASA Director Bill Nelson posted on social network X with excitement: "Congratulations to NASA and SpaceX on the successful launch. We are entering an exciting era of interstellar exploration and innovation."

On board the Crew-9 flight are two astronauts: NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Alexander Gorbunov . As planned, when returning to Earth in February 2025, Crew-9 will also carry two veteran astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were forced to stay on the ISS longer than expected due to a problem with Boeing's Starliner.

Wilmore and Williams were originally scheduled to stay on the ISS for only eight days after being transported to the station by the Starliner spacecraft in June. However, a Starliner engine failure forced NASA to adjust their plans and let them stay on the ISS for a longer period of time.

After weeks of testing and evaluation, NASA decided to return Starliner to Earth without a crew, and use SpaceX's Crew-9 mission to bring the two astronauts back safely.

"This is a special mission, as we had to adjust the original plan from 4 astronauts to 2. We are very grateful for SpaceX's support and flexibility in this operation," said Jim Free , NASA's deputy administrator .

The Crew-9 mission was postponed from mid-August to late September to give NASA more time to assess the reliability of Starliner and make a final decision. In addition, the effects of Hurricane Helene in Florida also caused the mission to be delayed by a few days.

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft is expected to dock with the ISS on the evening of September 29 (GMT). After completing the mission handover, the four members of Crew-8 will return to Earth on another SpaceX spacecraft.

During the Crew-9 mission, astronauts Hague and Gorbunov will stay on the ISS for about five months, while colleagues Wilmore and Williams have spent eight months on the station.

Crew-9 will conduct about 200 scientific experiments during its time on the ISS with the hope of opening up new discoveries for humanity.