NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Mission Adjusts Crew Forward of September Launch

NASA has introduced that astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will likely be launching on the SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) no sooner than Tuesday, September 24, 2024. This replace comes after adjustments to the mission’s crew composition. Originally, NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson have been additionally a part of the Crew-9 staff, however they’re now eligible for reassignment to future missions.

Updated Crew and Mission Adjustments

The upcoming SpaceX Crew-9 mission will now be flown with a two-person crew aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Nick Hague will function the mission commander, whereas Aleksandr Gorbunov will tackle the position of mission specialist. This adjustment follows NASA’s determination to return the company’s Boeing Crew Flight Test uncrewed, leading to two vacant seats on Crew-9. NASA’s determination was made by Joe Acaba, Chief Astronaut at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, who wanted to make sure a balanced crew with important expertise and integration for the mission.

Joe Acaba defined that the choice to cut back the crew dimension was difficult. The crew had skilled as a staff of 4, and adjusting to a smaller crew offered its personal set of difficulties. Despite this, Acaba expressed confidence within the crew’s capabilities, noting that Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson would proceed to assist their colleagues in preparation for the mission. Both Cardman and Wilson stay dedicated to the mission‘s success and look ahead to collaborating in future spaceflights.

Crew Profiles and Upcoming Mission

Nick Hague is ready to undertake his third spaceflight. His earlier missions embrace a difficult launch in October 2018, which concerned an emergency touchdown following a rocket failure, and a subsequent profitable mission in March 2019. During his time on the ISS, Hague carried out three spacewalks targeted on upgrading the house station’s energy programs and putting in a docking adapter for business spacecraft. Hague, an active-duty Colonel within the U.S. Space Force, will likely be returning to NASA after contributing to the Boeing Starliner Programme.

Aleksandr Gorbunov will likely be embarking on his first house mission. Gorbunov, a local of Zheleznogorsk, Russia, has a background in spacecraft engineering and plane upkeep from his research on the Moscow Aviation Institute and his work with Rocket Space Corp. Energia. His expertise consists of supporting cargo spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome earlier than his choice as a cosmonaut in 2018.

Once in house, Hague and Gorbunov will be a part of Expedition 72 aboard the ISS. They will work alongside Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, NASA astronaut Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. Their mission will deal with scientific analysis and upkeep because the ISS continues its 24-year historical past of steady human habitation.