SpaceX successfully launched a mission from Florida’s Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral on September 28, 2024, to bring back two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were stranded on the International Space Station (ISS). They had been stuck since June due to a malfunction in Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which was initially intended to bring them home. This mission, led by SpaceX, utilized the Crew Dragon capsule to rescue the astronauts.
Space X Mission carries two astronauts, NASA’s Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov. Dragon spacecraft lifted with two empty seats during the journey with the purpose of getting two astronauts back.
NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free said, “We recognize the uniqueness of this mission, given that it’s leaving Earth with two empty seats for the return journey.”
The Boeing CST-100 Starliner spacecraft was undocked from ISS on September 6and it safely returned Earth with its six-hour journey.
The malfunctioning Starliner had been Boeing’s first crewed spacecraft mission, which faced propulsion issues, leaving NASA to opt for SpaceX to safely bring the astronauts back to Earth. This mission reflects SpaceX’s growing role in NASA’s operations, as it has become a reliable partner for ferrying astronauts to and from the ISS. The astronauts are now scheduled to return in February 2025, after logging more than eight months in space.
Conclusion
This mission highlights the ongoing collaboration between NASA and SpaceX, particularly in addressing the challenges of crewed spaceflight and ensuring the safe return of astronauts from the ISS.