Sat Sep 28 17:58:36 UTC 2024: ## NASA-SpaceX Launches Crew-9 Mission to Rescue Stranded Astronauts
**Cape Canaveral, Florida** – NASA-SpaceX is set to launch the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on Saturday, September 28th, at 1:17 p.m. EDT (10:47 p.m. IST). This mission carries the crucial responsibility of bringing back two stranded astronauts, Indian-origin Sunita Williams and Butch Willmore, who are currently aboard the ISS after their journey on the faulty Boeing Starliner.
Originally scheduled for Thursday, the launch was delayed due to unfavorable weather conditions related to Hurricane Helene. The Crew-9 mission will see NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov embark on a five-month science mission to the ISS. Their return to Earth is planned for February 2024, coinciding with the rescue of Williams and Willmore.
Williams and Willmore are currently stranded on the ISS after their eight-day sojourn on the Starliner, which was deemed unfit for human travel by NASA following its return to Earth. This marks the first time since May 2020 that SpaceX is launching two astronauts to the ISS on a Dragon spacecraft.
To accommodate Williams and Willmore, NASA has pulled out two Crew-9 members, Commander Zena Cardman and three-time shuttle flier Stephanie Wilson. The mission will carry extra cargo and supplies, including a new Dragon spacesuit for Wilmore.
The Crew-9 is expected to dock at the ISS around 5:30 p.m. Sunday (3:30 a.m. Monday). Stay tuned for updates on this critical rescue mission.
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