NASA is set to launch a rescue mission to the International Space Station (ISS) this weekend to retrieve two astronauts stranded in orbit following technical failures aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The mission, utilizing SpaceX’s Crew Dragon, will bring NASA astronaut Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita “Suni” Williams back to Earth after they have been stuck aboard the ISS for months.
The SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1:17 p.m. Eastern Time on Saturday. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will helm the mission, with the empty seats on their capsule reserved for Wilmore and Williams, who have been aboard the ISS since June.
Initially, the Crew-9 mission was meant to carry a four-person team to the ISS. However, NASA removed two of the crew members, Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, to accommodate the return of Wilmore and Williams. The change was prompted by the decision to prioritize the safe retrieval of the astronauts after Boeing’s Starliner experienced a series of critical technical failures during their mission.
“We’re going to find spots for them to fly,” said Ken Bowersox, NASA’s associate administrator for space operations, during a Friday press conference, referring to Cardman and Wilson, whose mission has been delayed. “We really appreciate how hard it is to give up a mission and wait a little bit longer.”
Boeing’s starliner issues
The Starliner spacecraft, which carried Wilmore and Williams to the ISS, encountered multiple problems shortly after docking. NASA revealed that the capsule suffered from helium leaks and thruster malfunctions—key systems that control the spacecraft’s movement and safety. These failures raised significant concerns about the spacecraft’s ability to safely return the crew to Earth.
After extensive analysis and testing, NASA determined it would be too dangerous to attempt a crewed return on Starliner. As a result, the agency decided to send the spacecraft back to Earth without any astronauts aboard. On September 6, the Starliner returned uncrewed, successfully landing under parachutes in the desert of New Mexico.
“When Starliner landed safely, it was wonderful that it made it back,” Wilmore remarked during a press conference from the ISS on September 13. However, the crew’s extended stay aboard the space station has now led to the need for this emergency retrieval mission using SpaceX’s reliable Crew Dragon vehicle.
SpaceX to the rescue
SpaceX, which has been NASA’s key partner for crewed spaceflights under the Commercial Crew Program, stepped in to provide transportation for the stranded astronauts. The Crew Dragon mission will allow Wilmore and Williams to return to Earth, reuniting them with their families after months of uncertainty.
The Crew-9 flight will last approximately six months, with the return journey slated for around February 2025. Originally, Wilmore and Williams’ mission aboard the ISS was intended to last only about a week. This unexpected extension due to Starliner’s issues has caused the astronauts to spend much more time in space than planned.
“We always miss our families. I miss my two dogs; I miss my friends,” Williams said earlier this month in a conversation from the ISS. “There are so many people on Earth that are sending us messages, and it makes you feel just right at home with everybody.”
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The launch schedule
If the SpaceX Crew-9 mission launches as planned on Saturday, the capsule is expected to dock with the ISS on Sunday at approximately 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time. Should weather or technical issues delay the launch, NASA has backup opportunities scheduled for Sunday or Monday, according to Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
The Crew-9 launch marks another key moment in SpaceX’s ongoing collaboration with NASA. Over the past few years, the company has been instrumental in shuttling astronauts to and from the ISS, particularly as Boeing’s Starliner has faced repeated setbacks.
NASA continues to rely on its Commercial Crew Program partners, SpaceX and Boeing, to provide critical transport to the ISS and beyond. However, Boeing’s Starliner program has struggled to keep pace with SpaceX, which has completed numerous successful crewed missions using its Crew Dragon capsules.
As NASA moves forward with the mission to safely bring Wilmore and Williams back to Earth, the space agency will undoubtedly be reflecting on the challenges faced by Boeing’s Starliner. For now, however, the focus remains on the upcoming launch and the safe return of two astronauts who have spent months longer in space than anticipated.
