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SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has been postponed by a day to September 25, NASA said. Officials at the space agency said the delay in the mission was due to the completion of “prelaunch preparations and ensuring separation between operations”. If SpaceX Crew-9 misses its September 25 launch, the backup dates are September 26, 27 and 28, Space.
com reported. Crew-9 is scheduled to be the maiden human launch from the Space Launch Complex-40 at Florida-based Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. It is usually required for satellite missions and has infrastructure for that.
The Crew-9 Mission Originally slated to launch four astronauts in the SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft for the mission that would continue until February 2025, it is now sending only two crew on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Among these are NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos mission specialist Aleksandr Gorbunov. Once it happens, Hague will become the first active Space Force Guardian to launch into space.
The other two seats on Crew Dragon, intended to be for NASA's Stephanie Wilson and Zena Cardman, will now be holding mass simulators, while both astronauts remain eligible for future assignments. This ultimately leaves room for two NASA astronauts onboard the ISS to return. Starliner setbacks On ISS, astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore are waiting for SpaceX 's arrival.
Both reached the orbiting complex on June 6 as part of the Boeing Starliner's first crewed mission. However, issues with multiple thrusters of the spacecraft caused multiple concerns for their safe return to the Earth. Eventually, Starliner returned to the Earth empty on September 6.
Both Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were expected to spend around 10 days in space but have now been stuck on the International Space Station for the past few months. For the time being, NASA has prepared evacuation plans for its two astronauts. In case there's an emergency, they will come back home on the already docked SpaceX Crew-8 spacecraft, which has four seats and four astronauts.
They will remain in the cargo area below the seats and not wear the spacesuits as the spacecraft has not been designed to work with the Starliner suits they used. The US space agency has sourced a SpaceX spacesuit on the ISS for Williams' return on the Crew Dragon, while another is being sent for Wilmore aboard Crew-9, reports said. After it arrived at ISS, Crew-9 will eventually become the evacuation route for Williams and Wilmore, who have now become part of the Expedition 71 ISS crew.
Their February 2025 return means that the two astronauts will ultimately spend nearly eight months in space..
