SpaceX has been flying regular missions every six months to allow for rotation of the ISS crew.
A SpaceX rocket took to the skies on Saturday carrying two passengers, leaving two seats open for the return of American astronauts who have been stranded on the International Space Station for months, NASA said. It is said that
The Falcon 9 rocket took off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1:17 p.m. (17:17 GMT). A new launch pad was used, and it was the first time it had been used on a manned mission.
“Congratulations to @NASA and @SpaceX on their successful launch,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a post on X. “We live in an exciting era of star exploration and innovation.”
The passengers were NASA astronaut Nick Haig and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov.
When it returns from the space station in February, it will bring back Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, two space veterans whose stay on the ISS was extended several months due to problems with the Boeing-designed Starliner spacecraft. .
The newly developed Starliner had made its first manned flight when it delivered Wilmore and Williams to the ISS in June.
The mission was supposed to last just eight days, but problems with Starliner’s propulsion system during the flight forced NASA to consider major changes to the plan.
“A bit unique”
After weeks of intensive testing of Starliner’s reliability, the space agency finally returned Starliner to Earth without a crew, transporting the two stranded astronauts to the SpaceX mission. It was decided that Crew 9 would be sent home.
American astronaut Nick Haig (R) and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov head to the Kennedy Space Center launch pad in Florida.
“We know this launch is a little unique in that we’re moving from a one-man crew to a two-man crew,” NASA Deputy Administrator Jim Free told reporters. Ta.
“We would like to thank SpaceX for their support and flexibility.”
SpaceX, a private company founded by billionaire Elon Musk, flies regular missions every six months to allow rotation of the ISS crew.
However, Crew 9’s launch was postponed from mid-August to late September to give NASA experts more time to assess Starliner’s reliability and decide how to proceed.
It was then delayed several more days by the devastating passage of Hurricane Helen, a powerful storm that slammed across the coast of Florida on Thursday.
SpaceX’s Dragon ship is scheduled to dock at the ISS on Sunday at around 9:30 p.m. Japan time.
After being cleared to take over the mission, the four members of Crew-8 will return to Earth on another SpaceX spacecraft.
NASA flight commander Nick Haig gives his family a thumbs up before heading to the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
In total, Hague and Gorbunov will spend about five months on the ISS. Wilmore and Williams, 8 months.
In total, Crew 9 will conduct approximately 200 scientific experiments.
© 2024 AFP
Source: SpaceX launches rescue mission to bring stranded astronauts home (September 28, 2024) https://phys.org/news/2024-09-spacex-mission-strong-astronauts.html Retrieved September 28, 2024 from
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