Sunita Williams rescue mission to launch tonight, Nasa green lights Crew-9

Mangalore Today News Network

Florida, September 28, 2024: Nasa and SpaceX are set to launch the Crew-9 mission tonight, September 28, at 10:47 PM IST from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.

This mission is particularly significant as it aims to bring back veteran astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore from the International Space Station (ISS) after an extended stay due to technical issues with their initial transport vehicle, Boeing’s Starliner.

Originally scheduled for September 26, the launch was postponed due to adverse weather conditions caused by Hurricane Helene impacting the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Sunset at pad 40 pic.twitter.com/dHP77CkAJF

— SpaceX (@SpaceX) September 28, 2024

Nasa’s Flight Readiness Review confirmed that all systems are go for the launch, ensuring that the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are ready for this critical mission.

Nasa astronaut Nick Hague will command the Crew-9 mission, with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov serving as mission specialist.

The spacecraft will carry Hague and Gorbunov to the ISS for a five-month mission, during which they will conduct over 200 scientific experiments and technology demonstrations.

The Crew-9 mission will also accommodate Williams and Wilmore, who were initially stranded on the ISS after their Starliner capsule faced thruster issues and was returned uncrewed on September 7 for further assessment.

The Crew-9 launch marks a historic moment as it is the first crewed launch from Cape Canaveral’s Space Launch Complex-40.

Once launched, Crew-9 is expected to dock with the ISS around 5:30 PM EDT, concluding a vital mission aimed at ensuring a safe return for Williams and Wilmore after their extended stay aboard the ISS since June.