SpaceX Crew-9 Launch Today: The spacecraft will provide a ride home for Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore
NASA has authorized the first astronaut launch to the International Space Station (ISS) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. The SpaceX spacecraft launch on September 28 will return Boeing Starliner astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore. Both astronauts have been on the ISS since their space capsule experienced helium leaks and thruster issues, which led NASA to extend their stay.
The Crew-9 launch will mark SpaceX’s first mission from the SLC-40 pad at the Florida Space Force station. The Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are set to lift off with two Crew-9 astronauts heading to the ISS at 1:17 PM EDT (10:47 PM IST) on Saturday.
This launch will be the first time SpaceX is sending only two astronauts—Russian cosmonaut Alexandr Gorbunov and NASA veteran Nick Hague—since its test flight in May 2020. This deviates from SpaceX’s usual ISS crew rotation missions. Furthermore, this will be the first time that SpaceX launches people into orbit from a pad other than Launch Complex 39-A at Kennedy Orbit Center.
After the Boeing Starliner incident, NASA chose Elon Musk’s SpaceX to ensure the safe return of astronauts Williams and Wilmore. The Crew-9 mission, which was initially set to include commanders Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, will now proceed with only Hague and Gorbunov to accommodate the Starliner astronauts. After their capsule returned to Earth empty on September 7, Williams and Wilmore are currently stuck on the International Space Station (ISS).
“We’re moving forward with the launch, scheduled for 1:17 p.m. tomorrow,” NASA’s Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich stated at a press conference. Stich noted that the spacecraft is vertical at the pad, and the next major task will be to load the cargo in the afternoon to prepare for the flight.
The launch was initially scheduled for Thursday but was postponed due to Hurricane Helene. The Space Coast was also under a tropical storm warning throughout the day, along with nearby tornado warnings.
The Crew-9 launch will be available for live streaming on YouTube. You can watch it live below.
What Happened to the Boeing Starliner?
The Boeing Starliner test flight was launched on June 5, carrying astronauts Williams and Wilmore. The space capsule was expected to return within eight days. However, due to helium leaks and thruster malfunctions, NASA opted not to return the two astronauts on the Starliner. The agency subsequently decided to bring them back aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9, which is expected to return the astronauts to Earth by February 2025.
