SpaceX has successfully launched a mission to rescue two NASA astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS). The astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, have been stuck on the ISS since earlier this year after Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft was deemed unsafe for their return to Earth.
According to the Associated Press, SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission took off on Saturday to bring Wilmore and Williams back home. The Boeing Starliner, which was intended to return the astronauts, was sent back to Earth empty earlier this month due to safety concerns. By the time they return, the astronauts will have spent approximately eight months in space, having originally launched in June.
Wilmore and Williams were only scheduled for a brief stay aboard the ISS, but the malfunction with Boeing’s Starliner extended their mission. SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, conducts regular missions every six months to rotate crews on the ISS, and this time, two open seats on the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft will be used to bring the astronauts back to Earth.
Ahead of the launch, SpaceX issued a statement about the mission: “The Dragon spacecraft supporting this mission previously flew the Crew-4, Ax-2, and Ax-3 missions to and from the International Space Station. Following stage separation, Falcon 9’s first stage will land on Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.”
Joining the mission to the ISS are two other astronauts, NASA’s Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, who will assist in the operation. A video of the astronauts preparing for the mission was shared by SpaceX prior to the launch.
In related news, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has announced plans to launch unmanned missions to Mars within the next two years, with manned missions to follow within four years. Musk has also been in discussions with GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, frequently addressing the future of space exploration and its importance for the U.S. and the world.
