The Crew-9 mission arrived with only two astronauts at the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday night at 11:32 p.m. Spanish peninsular time, after launching from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Saturday afternoon. What was intended to be a routine mission with four crew members has turned into something extraordinary. Due to issues with a Boeing Starliner that had taken two other astronauts to the space station, NASA decided to leave them there until a SpaceX Dragon ship—the one that just docked at the ISS—can return them to Earth, which is scheduled for February 2025.
Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, the astronauts from the U.S. space agency who traveled in June on the inaugural test flight of the Starliner—originally expected to stay only eight days on the ISS—have now become part of the Crew-9 mission. This marks the ninth commercial flight service that SpaceX has provided to NASA since 2020 for crew rotations at the International Space Station, where four astronauts typically spend six months before returning to Earth. The Starliner failure has significantly disrupted those plans.
Initially scheduled for August 18, the mission was delayed due to numerous small propulsion failures detected in the Starliner during its trip to the ISS. Crew-9 had to wait for the return of the Boeing ship, which faced multiple delays over the summer while the space agency and Boeing investigated the cause of the issues. Ultimately, at the end of August, NASA decided that Williams and Wilmore would remain at the station while the Starliner would return empty, amid considerable tension with Boeing.
Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov, in blue in the center, during the welcome ceremony held upon arrival at the ISS.NASA
Since it needs to return by February 2025, Crew-9’s mission duration has been shortened to just five months. Furthermore, to accommodate the astronauts stranded on the ISS for their return trip, the outgoing crew had to be reduced from four to two members. American Nick Hague and Russian Alexander Gorbunov maintained their roles, entering the space station shortly after 1:00 a.m. on Sunday. Two women remained on the ground: Zena Cardman and Stephanie Williams, who were set to be the commander and mission specialist, must now wait for another opportunity to take on the significant challenge of working on the ISS for six months.
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The two astronauts from the original crew relinquished their positions for Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who had both previously completed long stays on the ISS and had no intention of repeating the experience. They have been integrated into the research and maintenance operations of the orbital complex and, although they initially intended to spend only one week on the space station, they will likely remain for eight months, provided their return does not face further delays.
Despite Boeing’s insistence on returning both astronauts to its Starliner, the ship returned without a crew on September 7. It landed safely and without incident at the White Sands space base in New Mexico, and two days later, after reviewing all the data from the return flight, NASA confirmed that Wilmore and Williams would have arrived safely inside the space capsule: “Had we had a crew onboard, we would have followed the same sequence for detaching from the ISS, ignited the engines for the deorbit, and performed the same reentry. It would have been a safe and successful landing,” stated Steve Stich, director of NASA’s commercial human flight program, at a press conference.
SpaceX rocket failure after launch
However, after tests conducted over the summer on both the Starliner and on the ground with identical engines, Boeing’s computer models—created to simulate the degradation of the ship’s propellants during return—did not entirely satisfy NASA. The U.S. space agency identified limitations and uncertainties in those models and determined that there could be excessive risks for astronauts. Following the ship’s safe return, there was renewed hope for Boeing to maintain its regular commercial flight program to the ISS with its Starliner. NASA is expected to publicly announce the changes it requests from the company to prevent new issues as well as the date when a Starliner could fly again. Currently, it is ruled out that this will happen before the summer of 2025, extending the lengthy list of project delays by another year.
At least until then, SpaceX, Elon Musk’s aerospace company, will remain the only provider of private transportation services to the International Space Station for NASA. Although all crewed flights in Dragon capsules have been successful, several minor issues have occurred with the Falcon 9 rockets responsible for launching them. The latest incident took place on Saturday: after the launch of the Crew-9 mission, the rocket’s upper stage—which delivers the final push to the Dragon to place it in orbit—functioned correctly, but then fell into the ocean outside of the designated area. Consequently, SpaceX has opted to suspend launches with Falcon 9 rockets until it determines the cause of the failure. This marks the third time in the past three months that these rockets have been grounded, which prevents the private company from launching more Starlink satellites or crewing missions.
Record of permanence in space
Currently, the only alternative to Musk’s Dragon ships are the Russian Soyuz. Recently, two Roscosmos cosmonauts, Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko, returned to Earth, along with NASA astronaut Tracy C. Dyson. Chub and Kononenko set a new record for the longest mission on the ISS, with 375 days; combining this with their previous four missions, Kononenko has become the first person to spend over 1,000 days in space.
Following the departure of Soyuz MS-25 with those three crew members, the 72nd expedition to the International Space Station officially commenced, led by Sunita Williams—one of the two Starliner astronauts who are no longer trapped in space: they now have a spot on a ship and, finally, the compatible spacesuit for their return. Until now, they would have had to return without a suit in a Dragon ship in case of an emergency on the ISS.
Four other NASA personnel and three Roscosmos cosmonauts remained with them. Now, with the arrival of Americans Hague and Russian Gorbunov on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, a total of 11 people inhabit the ISS. However, this will only be for a few hours until the Crew-8 mission returns to Earth this Monday or Tuesday with its four crew members. After this, following a summer filled with suspense and disrupted plans, the arrival of new astronauts at the station is not scheduled until February 2025. They will be the ones to take over from the trapped astronauts Williams and Wilmore, along with their two new companions who have just arrived.
The Crew-9 Mission Arrives at the International Space Station
The Crew-9 mission made headlines when it arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) on a surprisingly altered trajectory. Docking at 11:32 p.m. Spanish peninsular time after launching from Cape Canaveral (Florida, USA), the mission originally involved four astronauts but concluded with only two. The complications stem from failures encountered by Boeing’s Starliner ship, leading NASA to adjust crew rotations unexpectedly.
Unexpected Challenges and Adjustments
Initially slated for an August 18 launch, Crew-9 faced postponements due to propulsion issues with the Starliner during its outbound journey to the ISS. As a result, NASA had to leave two astronauts—Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore—aboard the ISS while waiting for the return of the empty Starliner. This incident triggered strong tensions with Boeing, pushing back their subsequent planned manned missions.
A Shift in Astronaut Dynamics
With the Starliner deemed unfit for immediate crewed return, Williams and Wilmore transitioned to part of the Crew-9 mission despite originally planning for only an eight-day stay on the ISS. They now might spend up to eight months in orbit, contributing to ongoing ISS research and maintenance alongside newly arrived crew members:
- Nick Hague (USA)
- Alexander Gorbunov (Russia)
Impact on Crew Rotation Plans
The reduction of Crew-9’s astronauts from four to two was necessary to accommodate the return of Williams and Wilmore. Zena Cardman and Stephanie Williams were set to join the mission but now must await their chance for a future ISS assignment. Thus, Crew-9’s mission became an agile response to circumstances rather than the pre-planned endeavor it was intended to be.
Spacecraft Failures: Starliner vs. Dragon
Despite NASA’s and Boeing’s intentions for regular Starliner flights, recent issues continued to emerge from the test phase. After successful completion of the Starliner’s uncrewed return flight to the White Sands space base in New Mexico, NASA acknowledged that, had it been crewed, the mission would have proceeded safely. However, ongoing concerns have sidelined future manned flights, adjusting the flight path significantly for commercial launches to the ISS.
SpaceX Continues as Sole Provider
With Boeing’s Starliner facing indefinite postponements before summer 2025, SpaceX remains the sole provider of crew transport services for NASA to the ISS. However, with several minor incidents occurring during Falcon 9 rocket launches—including a recent failure of its upper stage—SpaceX has paused further launches until investigations can pinpoint the causes.
Record-Breaking Mission Durations
Coinciding with the Crew-9 mission, two Russian cosmonauts returned from the ISS, breaking the record for the longest stay in orbit. Nikolai Chub and Oleg Kononenko completed 375 days in space. Kolonenko, including previous missions, now stands as the first person to exceed 1,000 days in space, underscoring the astronomical achievements made despite challenges in logistics and spacecraft reliability.
Current ISS Situation
With the arrival of Hague and Gorbunov, the Station now accommodates eleven crew members temporarily. This situation will only last until Crew-8 returns to Earth, leading to a complex and fluid operation environment aboard the ISS.
Future of Astronaut Missions
The unexpected difficulties faced during this mission signify broader implications for future astronaut endeavors. Upcoming missions will necessitate evaluating spacecraft readiness, refining operational procedures, and addressing potential risks associated with human spaceflight.
Key Takeaways for Future Missions:
- Address propulsion issues proactively to maintain safety standards.
- Prepare for potential delays in manned missions due to spacecraft readiness.
- Monitor and report on the status of future crewed flights regularly to maintain operational integrity.
Conclusion
The Crew-9 mission’s development reflects not only the excitement of space exploration but also the inherent challenges of navigating technical failures in high-stakes environments. As NASA and commercial partners adapt to these hurdles, the quest for knowledge beyond our planet continues to unfold, revealing layers of both human resilience and technical ingenuity.
