September 28, 2024 – 10:32 pm
On Saturday, SpaceX launched the spacecraft that will return the two American astronauts stranded on the International Space Station since last June, back home. CNN. The mission, named Crew-9, took off from Florida at 2:45 a.m. local time. The spacecraft was originally supposed to be launched to the International Space Station on Thursday, but the launch was postponed due to Hurricane Helen, which struck the southern states of the United States, including Florida.
The plan for the rescue operation was already ready at the end of August: a SpaceX rocket lifted off with only two people on board, Russian Alexander Gorbunov and American Nick Hague, instead of the original crew of four, upon their return. To Earth in February 2025, a ship that could fit Sonny Williams and Butch Wilmore was also stuck on the space station.
Sonny Williams and Butch Wilmore – Photo: Bulletin
The two American astronauts left for space in June on a planned eight-day mission, but already on the way to the space station several problems were observed: helium was leaking, and some gears and valves failed to maneuver. The Boeing Starliner space capsule that carried Williams and Willmore to the space station returned to Earth on September 7 without the astronauts. Thus, the two American astronauts will be able to return home from the space station after eight months instead of six days.
