Crew-9 Astronauts Head Toward Space Station as SpaceX Reports Rocket Anomaly
The Crew-9 mission, launched by SpaceX on September 28, 2024, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, has successfully placed NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov into orbit. The mission aims to return stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS) after complications with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
However, a significant issue arose with the Falcon 9 rocket’s second stage. Despite being disposed of in the ocean as planned, the second stage experienced an off-nominal deorbit burn, resulting in it landing outside the designated area. NASA and SpaceX are currently investigating the root cause of this anomaly before resuming future launches.
SpaceX has announced a temporary suspension of Falcon 9 flights to address the issue. The Crew Dragon capsule, named Freedom, is on track to dock with the ISS on Sunday, September 29, at 5:30 p.m. EDT. Once docked, the hatch will open, allowing Hague and Gorbunov to join the other astronauts already aboard the space station.
The Crew-9 mission is set to spend approximately five months on the ISS before returning to Earth in February 2025. This mission marks a unique adaptation, as the Crew Dragon capsule is ferrying only two crew members to the ISS, leaving two seats empty for Williams and Wilmore on their return flight.
