SpaceX Crew-9 Mission Successfully Docks at ISS: Here’s Everything You Need to Know

SpaceX: After docking was completed, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov boarded the ISS at around 7:00 pm.

The SpaceX Crew-9 mission successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, September 29, 2024, marking a key step in returning two astronauts stranded on the ISS. A live stream of the mission showed the Dragon spacecraft making contact with the ISS at 5:30 pm, following the Falcon 9 rocket’s launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Saturday at 1:17 pm (1717 GMT).After docking was completed, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov boarded the ISS at around 7:00 pm. They were warmly greeted by their fellow astronauts on the space station. Both Hague and Gorbunov will spend around five months aboard the ISS, continuing vital scientific research.NASA deputy administrator Pam Melroy, during a news conference, described the day as “fabulous.” However, a key focus of the mission is to bring back astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose planned stay was prolonged by months due to issues with their Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The Starliner, which was making its first crewed flight in June, experienced problems with its propulsion system, leaving NASA no choice but to change its plans.

Crew-9’s launch marked a historic moment as it was the first human spaceflight to lift off from Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40). Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov’s arrival brings the total number of astronauts aboard the ISS to eleven. However, this mission is also distinctive due to NASA’s decision to reduce Crew-9’s original four-person roster. Instead, the mission was modified to carry only two astronauts to make room for two astronauts already aboard the ISS who require a return trip to Earth.

Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who arrived at the ISS in June on the first crewed Boeing Starliner flight, were originally scheduled to stay for just ten days. However, technical issues with Starliner’s thrusters extended their stay on the station.

Crew-9’s arrival also marks the upcoming departure of the Crew-8 astronauts, including NASA’s Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Jeanette Epps, and cosmonaut Alexander Grebenkin. The four, who arrived at the station in March, are scheduled to return to Earth soon after Crew-9’s docking process is completed. If everything proceeds as planned, Crew-9 will remain at the ISS until February 2025, further supporting ongoing space research and operations aboard the station

With Thanks Reference to:https://www.timesnownews.com/technology-science/spacex-crew-9-successfully-docks-on-iss-to-rescue-stranded-astronauts-after-starliner-issues-article-113819614 and https://www.gadgets360.com/science/news/spacex-crew-9-mission-reaches-iss-6683725