NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission is gearing up for launch, with astronauts Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov arriving at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Their mission? To bring home NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who are currently stranded on the International Space Station (ISS). The launch is scheduled for September 26, with backup launch dates available on September 27 and 28.
Hague and Gorbunov are currently undergoing quarantine at the Neil A Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building at the Kennedy Space Center. During this time, they’ll be busy preparing for their mission, participating in a dry dress rehearsal, adjusting their sleep schedules to align with mission requirements, rehearsing flight procedures, and connecting with family and friends. They will also be welcomed by NASA leaders in a brief ceremony, which will be streamed live on NASA+ and the agency’s website.
Hague and Gorbunov will be flying to the ISS as commander and mission specialist, respectively, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft. Their arrival will bring the total number of crew members on board the ISS to seven, as they join astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore, and Don Pettit, along with Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner.
Interestingly, the Crew 9 mission was initially planned to launch with a four-person crew, with Nick Hague serving as the pilot. However, when the crew composition changed, Hague was assigned the role of commander.
“The focus of effort over the last three weeks is what do we need to do differently to be able to launch as a crew of two, as a crew without a pilot,” Hague explained, highlighting the adjustments required for a two-person crew launch.
Keep an eye out for the launch of SpaceX Crew-9 on September 26th as this mission promises to bring back stranded astronauts and further enhance the research and operations taking place on the International Space Station.
