SpaceX has initiated a rescue mission to retrieve two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for months. Pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams and Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore were originally on a test flight aboard Boeing’s latest spacecraft on June 5, with plans for an eight-day stay in orbit. However, a malfunction in the Starliner’s propulsion system left them stranded in space far longer than anticipated.
NASA confirmed in August that the astronauts would not return to Earth until 2025, with SpaceX taking charge of their rescue via a Crew Dragon flight. On Saturday evening, U.S. astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov launched aboard the Crew Dragon capsule to assist in the mission. Hague and Gorbunov will not be returning with Williams and Wilmore, who will occupy two empty seats on the spacecraft, which is expected to return in February next year. By then, the stranded astronauts will have spent a total of eight months in space.
Before takeoff, Hague remarked on the unpredictability of space travel, stating, “There’s always something that is changing with spaceflight. Maybe this time it’s been a little more visible to the public.” He emphasized the importance of teamwork, saying, “We’ve got a dynamic challenge ahead of us.”
NASA deputy program manager Dina Contella revealed that Williams and Wilmore watched the SpaceX launch from the ISS, with Williams enthusiastically cheering, “Go Dragon!” In a separate incident in September, Boeing’s Starliner successfully undocked from the ISS and returned to Earth without a crew. The spacecraft experienced multiple thruster failures and helium leaks in its propulsion system during its journey to the station.
During a news conference from space in September, Williams described the ISS as their “happy place.” She noted, “That’s how it goes in this business,” encouraging a forward-looking perspective. Wilmore echoed her sentiment, discussing the challenges they faced during the mission, stating, “It’s been quite an evolution over the last three months.”
The Crew Dragon is scheduled to dock with the ISS by 10:30 PM on Sunday. NASA will provide a live stream of the docking event on its website, allowing the public to witness this significant moment in space exploration.