SpaceX Prepares for High-Stakes Launch: A Mission to Rescue Two Astronauts
Elon Musk SpaceX and NASA are planning to return U.S. astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams to Earth shortly, as they have spent considerably more time in space than initially intended by the agency.
Musk told FOX Business’ Larry Kudlow Earlier this week, he mentioned that his aerospace firm will be "reinstating them within a few weeks."
On Wednesday night, SpaceX plans to launch its Dragon spaceship and Falcon 9 rocket in partnership with NASA. The mission, known as Crew-10, aims to send supplies to the International Space Station, which orbits approximately 250 miles above our planet, departing from the Kennedy Space Center managed by NASA.
The mission aimed at transferring a team of four individuals set to take over for NASA’s Crew-9 presently stationed on the International Space Station (ISS) is anticipated to mark Wilmore and Williams' highly awaited return home.
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The two astronauts have been stationed at the International Space Station for more than nine months since their arrival on June 6 of last year. Initially, NASA had intended for Wilmore and Williams' stay at the ISS to be approximately one week long.
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Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft transferred the two astronauts from Earth to the ISS. Nonetheless, it returned to Earth without crew members in September.
In August, when NASA revealed that the spacecraft would come back without Wilmore and Williams aboard, the space agency stated that the craft’s uncrewed return would enable them to focus on additional testing and improvements. Boeing "keep collecting test data on Starliner throughout its impending return journey, all while ensuring they do not accept undue risks for the astronauts onboard," following issues such as "helium leaks" and "problems with the spacecraft’s reaction control thrusters" encountered during docking with the ISS in June.
The two astronauts joined the Expedition 71/72 teams, as NASA stated earlier that they were planning to bring them back to Earth along with two members of another crew. SpaceX Crew-9 mission in early 2025.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexandr Gorbunov, who are part of the Crew-9 team, reached the International Space Station (ISS) towards the end of September.
The Hague, Wilmore, and Williams have conducted over 900 hours of research while aboard the ISS, according to NASA’s statement late last week.
Should the SpaceX Crew-10 mission lift off as planned on Wednesday night, the astronauts should arrive at the International Space Station early Thursday morning, NASA reports.
"Hundreds of miles above you, I mentioned last week from the International Space Station that in just a matter of days, Crew-10 will be arriving,” Hague stated. “We’ll pass them the torch as they take over for us, and then we'll head back home after completing this extended stay onboard the orbital laboratory.”
NASA mentioned in a recent blog post about an upcoming "transition phase" involving the SpaceX Crew-10 mission prior to Wilmore, Williams, Hague, and Gorbunov departing from the ISS. It has been reported that they might return to Earth as soon as this Sunday.
A different SpaceX Dragon capsule will transport them back to Earth, as stated by the space agency.
NASA stated that Crew-10 will carry out scientific experiments, technological demonstrations, and upkeep tasks at the orbiting lab while residing on the International Space Station (ISS).
The scheduled launch on Wednesday evening will signify Dragon's tenth mission. operational human spaceflight mission , according to SpaceX.
"According to weather experts, there’s over a 95% probability of optimal weather conditions at Launch Complex 39A for the launch of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule transporting Crew-10 to the International Space Station," stated the Kennedy Space Center on X last Wednesday.
The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which stands at almost 27 feet tall, has been designed to accommodate as many as seven passengers.
Original article source: SpaceX readies launch to rescue two astronauts — here is how it played out
