SpaceX on Saturday launched a mission to return two Boeing Starliner astronauts from the International Space Station (ISS) next February.
SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida at 1:17 p.m. According to To NASA. It will take 28.5 hours for the Crew-9 mission to dock with the ISS.
SpaceX's Crew Dragon departed Earth leaving two empty seats for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been docked at the ISS since June. The two became the first people to carry out Boeing's first manned mission to space.
Initially, the planned launch was accompanied by some difficulties. Helium leaks and thruster failures delayed multiple attempts. Finally, they took off to the space station on June 5th. They were scheduled to stay on the ISS for just over a week, but their stay was extended to several months.
In late August, NASA confirmed that the Boeing Starliner crew will remain on the ISS until February 2025, but that the Starliner capsule will return to Earth unmanned in September. NASA said the decision was based on safety concerns. The unmanned Starliner landed in New Mexico on September 7th.
The Crew-9 mission was originally scheduled to carry four astronauts, but adjustments were made to allow space for Wilmore and Williams to return home, with NASA astronaut Nick Haig and Roscosmos spaceflight. Only Officer Alexander Gorbunov will be on board.
NASA said The Crew-9 mission successfully reached orbit and the nose cone opened.
