SpaceX is preparing to launch two new crew members to the International Space Station on Saturday. The launch will take place from Florida’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at 1:17 p.m. ET. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will join five other astronauts already onboard the ISS as part of Expedition 72. They are expected to stay at the space station until February and will return to Earth with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
Wilmore and Williams flew to the ISS on Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft in June, but their return flight was delayed due to technical issues with the spacecraft. The Crew-9 flight was originally meant to carry four crew members, but seating had to be left open for Wilmore and Williams. NASA has faced delays in launching Crew-9, including postponements due to Hurricane Helene.
NASA has reported a 55% chance of favorable weather conditions for Saturday’s launch, with concerns about atmospheric conditions along the rocket’s path into orbit. The Crew-9 mission marks another milestone in the partnership between NASA and SpaceX in providing crewed flights to the ISS.
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