SpaceX and NASA have announced plans to launch the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) on August 18. This mission marks the ninth crew rotation to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.
The announcement follows the Federal Aviation Administration’s clearance of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket for flight. The rocket had been temporarily grounded due to a mid-flight failure earlier this month, when one of its rockets disintegrated in space, resulting in the loss of a payload of Starlink satellites. This incident was the first failure of the Falcon 9 in over seven years.
The Crew-9 mission will carry a team of four astronauts: NASA’s Zena Cardman, Nick Hague, and Stephanie Wilson, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov. They will be launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, propelled by the Falcon 9 rocket. The mission aims to continue the collaborative efforts in space exploration and scientific research aboard the ISS.
The previous crew rotation, Crew-8, was launched in March from Florida. It carried three NASA astronauts and a Russian cosmonaut to the ISS for a six-month science mission. The crew reached the space station after a 16-hour flight aboard the Crew Dragon capsule Endeavor. This mission showcased the ongoing partnership between NASA and SpaceX in advancing human spaceflight.
The upcoming Crew-9 launch underscores the significant progress in commercial space travel and international cooperation in space exploration. As the launch date approaches, anticipation grows for the new scientific opportunities and discoveries that await the crew aboard the ISS.
(With input from Agencies)
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SpaceX and NASA announce August 18 launch for crew-9 mission to ISS
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