Cape Canaveral, FL – September 28, 2024: SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission has successfully launched, marking another milestone in NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The mission, which lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, is the ninth crew rotation mission to the International Space Station (ISS).
Liftoff! NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Launches to International Space Station - NASA
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| SpaceX Crew-9 mission arrives at ISS to join Starliner astronauts |
The Crew-9 mission includes NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. They are set to join Expedition 72 and will engage in a variety of scientific research activities aboard the ISS. In addition to the standard crew rotation and research tasks, Crew-9 has a unique objective: it is also a “rescue mission” to bring back astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were stranded on the ISS due to issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule.
The mission launched from Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40) and successfully docked with the ISS on September 29, 2024. This marked the first human spaceflight to lift off from SLC-40, adding another feather to SpaceX’s cap.
The Crew-9 mission is expected to last until February 2025, when the crew will return to Earth. During their stay, the astronauts will conduct various experiments and maintenance tasks to support the ongoing operations of the ISS.
This mission underscores the continued collaboration between NASA and SpaceX, highlighting the advancements in space travel and the importance of international cooperation in space exploration.
For more updates on the Crew-9 mission and other space-related news, stay tuned.
