SpaceX and NASA are preparing for the upcoming Crew-9 mission, which will transport an American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut to the International Space Station (ISS) using a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft.
The launch is scheduled to take place as early as Thursday, September 26, from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, utilizing a Falcon 9 rocket to transport the capsule and its crew. However, after a flight readiness review conducted on Monday, NASA officials cautioned that the launch may face delays due to an approaching storm.
NASA, SpaceX, and the U.S. Space Force’s 45th Weather Squadron are keeping a close watch on Tropical Cyclone Nine as it approaches the Gulf of Mexico and the west coast of Florida. The agency stressed the importance of weather conditions for the success of the launch.
Despite potential weather-related issues, plans are still in motion for the Falcon 9 rocket to be rolled out to Kennedy’s Space Launch Complex-40 on Tuesday for a static fire test and final preparations ahead of its ascent.
Initially, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov were set to fly to the ISS with fellow NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson. However, Cardman and Wilson were recently taken off the flight roster because their seats are now required to return Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore at the conclusion of the Crew-9 mission in February. Initially scheduled to return via Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, Williams and Wilmore are now without a ride back due to technical challenges with Starliner, which has been grounded for repairs.
The Crew-9 mission marks the ninth operational crew rotation to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. Hague and Gorbunov are expected to spend around five months at the station, where they will conduct scientific experiments, research demonstrations, and participate in spacewalks for orbital maintenance.
How to Watch
NASA aims to launch the Crew-9 mission at 2:05 p.m. ET on Thursday, September 26.
For those interested in witnessing the launch, a live feed covering the countdown and liftoff will be available on SpaceX’s X account.
Stay tuned here for any updates regarding scheduling changes, and make sure to check SpaceX’s social media for the latest news.
