Amended Crew 9 Arrives Ahead of Launch

Kennedy Space Center, FL. - This afternoon, September 21, 2024 the amended Crew 9 astronauts arrived at the Space Florida Launch and Landing Facility. The Crew 9 astronauts arrived at 1:30 PM EDT

The Crew 9 astronauts were originally four members that included NASA astronauts: Commander Zena Cardman; Pilot, Nick Hague; and Stephanie Wilson, Mission Specialist; along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, Mission Specialist.

That all changed when continuing issues with the Starliner capsule had to leave the International Space Station without her crew. A decision prior to the departure of the Starliner was made to drop Crew 9 astronauts to just NASA astronaut Nick Hague, now the Commander and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov Mission Specialist to allow room for Starliner astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore each a seat aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon Freedom.

At present, Crew 9 will be aboard the station till February of 2025 when they will return to Earth bringing back the Starliner astronauts who have been on orbit since June 2024.

Currently, Crew 9 is scheduled to launch no earlier than 2:05 PM EDT on September 26, 2024.

Of note in terms of history, the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station will be the first human mission to launch from Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Story and Images: Michael Howard – We Report Space