NASA is gearing up to launch the SpaceX Crew-9 mission on this day, Saturday, which will return astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore to Earth. The duo has been aboard the International Space Station (ISS) since June. The launch is scheduled for 1:17 PM EDT from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Viewers can watch live coverage starting at 9:00 AM EDT on NASA's official website, NASA+, and YouTube. This marks the first crewed launch from Space Launch Complex-40. The spacecraft is expected to dock with the ISS around 5:30 PM EDT on Monday.
As part of NASA's Commercial Crew Program, the mission will also transport astronaut Nick Hague and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to the ISS for a five-month stay, ensuring the safe return of Williams and Wilmore. Hague and Gorbunov are scheduled to remain on the ISS until February, coinciding with the next crew rotation. Originally, astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson were slated for Crew-9 but were replaced to accommodate the returning astronauts.
Williams and Wilmore traveled to the ISS in June aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule for what was intended to be an eight-day mission. Their stay was extended due to thruster issues with the Starliner. Recently, NASA returned the Starliner uncrewed for further evaluation.
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