NASA delays mission to bring back Sunita Williams from ISS
NASA and SpaceX have announced a delay in the launch of their Crew-9 mission, originally scheduled for September 26. It is meant to bring back astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams from the International Space Station (ISS). The decision to postpone the launch was made due to weather concerns associated with Tropical Storm Helene. The revised launch time is now set for 1:17pm EDT (10:47pm IST) on September 28, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Helene prompts launch delay
The delay was necessitated by the anticipated tropical storm conditions in Florida. "Although Helene is moving through the Gulf of Mexico and expected to impact the Florida panhandle, the storm system is large enough that high winds and heavy rain are expected in the Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island regions on Florida's east coast," explained NASA. The change in schedule also allows teams to complete a rehearsal of launch day activities, with SpaceX Dragon and Falcon 9.
Crew-9: A key crew rotation mission
The Crew-9 mission is a significant crew rotation mission under NASA's Commercial Crew Program. It will see NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, launch aboard the SpaceX Dragon and Falcon 9, to the ISS. The mission was re-planned to bring Williams and Wilmore back home on the Dragon spacecraft, necessitating a reduction in crew size from four members to two.
Williams and Wilmore's extended stay at ISS
Williams and Wilmore had launched aboard Boeing's Starliner spacecraft on June 5, reaching the ISS on June 6. Technical issues with Starliner led to a delay in their return from space. Initially, they were scheduled to return from the ISS in mid-June. However, due to safety concerns, NASA decided to bring an "empty" Starliner back to Earth, and arranged for Williams and Wilmore's return on the SpaceX spacecraft.
Crew-9 mission's activities
The Falcon 9 and the Crew Dragon capsule, named Freedom, for the Crew-9 mission were moved to the launch pad yesterday. The team members conducted rehearsal activities with the hardware last night, and then rolled the rocket-capsule combo "back to the hangar ahead of any potential storm activity," according to NASA officials. This is part of their preparation process for a successful launch on Saturday.
