After a delay of a few days due to Hurricane Helene, the Falcon 9 soared into space to begin this amended crewed flight.
Image Credit: Michael Howard - We Report SpaceCape Canaveral S.F.S, FL. - This afternoon, September 28, 2024 the Crew 9 astronauts lifted off from Launch Complex 40 at 1:17 PM EDT.
After a delay of a few days due to Hurricane Helene, the Falcon 9 soared into space to begin this amended crewed flight.
Image Credit: Michael Howard - We Report SpaceOf note, the Crew-9 mission is the first human flight to launch from LC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
In a statement from NASA: “This mission required a lot of operational and planning flexibility. I congratulate the entire team on a successful launch today, and Godspeed to Nick and Aleksandr as they make their way to the space station,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “Our NASA wizards and our commercial and international partners have shown once again the success that comes from working together and adapting to changing circumstances without sacrificing the safe and professional operations of the International Space Station.”
Image Credit: Graham Smith - We Report SpaceThe 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.
Image Credit: Michael Howard - We Report SpaceThat 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 reduce the Crew 9 astronauts to just NASA astronaut Nick Hague, now the Commander and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov Mission Specialist. This is to allow room for Starliner astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to each have a seat aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon “Freedom” at the conclusion of mission.
Both Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson will be reassigned to a later mission in the future.
This is the fourth flight for Crew Dragon”Freedom” which supported the Crew Four Mission as well as Axiom Missions Two and Three. “Freedom” will be docking at the Harmony portion of the International Space Station at arrival. The name “Freedom” was also the name of the Mercury 7 flight of Alan Shepard.
. Photo Credit: Graham L Smith - We Report SpaceAt present, Crew 9 is scheduled to be aboard the station till February of 2025 conducting science and research before they return to Earth bringing back the Starliner astronauts who have been on orbit since June 2024. Unlike previous SpaceX Dragon returns, beginning with this flight, Crew Dragon will splashdown in the Pacific Ocean and not the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean.
Image Credit: Graham Smith - We Report SpaceShortly, after launch, the first stage booster made a successful landing at LZ-1 exciting the folks across the Space Coast with a double sonic boom. Story and Images: Michael Howard and Graham Smith for We Report Space
Stunning, full color photo book covering every east coast launch spanning 2014-2015, including the first-ever powered landing of a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
