NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 successfully launches to International Space Station

On September 28, 2024, NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, marking the ninth commercial crew rotation to the International Space Station (ISS).

Aboard the Falcon 9 rocket were NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who are set for a five-month science mission as part of Expedition 72. The duo will dock with the ISS on September 29, joining a multinational crew for a mission that includes over 200 scientific experiments, ranging from blood clotting studies to plant growth in space.

This mission showcases the ongoing collaboration between NASA, SpaceX, and international partners, ensuring the continuous use of the ISS for research that benefits Earth and prepares for future exploration missions to the Moon and beyond.

This launch is also a special rescue mission to retrieve two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded aboard the ISS. The astronauts were left without a ride after their Boeing Starliner spacecraft returned to Earth empty earlier this month due to safety concerns.