SpaceX launched a rescue mission on Saturday to retrieve two NASA astronauts stranded at the International Space Station (ISS). The mission comes after Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which originally transported the astronauts, was deemed too risky for their return journey due to thruster troubles and helium leaks.
NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, initially scheduled for a week-long mission, will now spend over eight months in space. Williams has been promoted to commander of the ISS. The SpaceX Dragon capsule carrying their rescuers, NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Alexander Gorbunov, launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Hague, chosen for his experience handling a previous launch emergency, is leading the mission.
Due to NASA's rotation schedule and mission constraints, Wilmore and Williams cannot return until late February 2025, extending their stay to more than eight months. To accommodate the stranded astronauts' return, NASA removed two astronauts, Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, from the flight. Both have been promised future space missions.
This marks SpaceX's 10th crew flight for NASA, reinforcing its position as the leader in NASA's commercial crew program. The company has been flying astronauts to the ISS since 2020. In contrast, Boeing has faced numerous issues with its Starliner spacecraft, including a failed uncrewed test flight and the recent problems that led to this rescue mission. The company recently replaced its defense and space chief.
The mission was delayed by Hurricane Helene and launched from Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, a first for crewed missions from this particular pad. The arrival of Hague and Gorbunov will allow four astronauts who have been at the ISS since March to return home in their own SpaceX capsule, a departure delayed by a month due to the Starliner issues.
VINews contributed to this article.