NASA SpaceX Crew 9 Mission: SpaceX's two-member Crew-9 mission reached the International Space Station on Sunday (September 29).
SapceX's Dragon has arrived to pick up Sunita Williams, watch the video of the welcome at the International Space Station
NASA SpaceX Crew 9 Mission: SpaceX's two-member Crew-9 mission reached the International Space Station on Sunday (September 29). On its return, this spacecraft will also bring Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore along.
Sunita Williams News: The spacecraft bringing back Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore has reached space. SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule, named Freedom, joined the International Space Station (ISS) on Friday. This spacecraft is docked on the Harmony module of the ISS. Crew-9 mission members NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov were warmly welcomed upon reaching the ISS. At present, the command of the ISS is in the hands of Sunita Williams. She and her fellow astronaut Wilmore will return to Earth aboard this Freedom capsule after the completion of the Crew-9 mission.
Crew-9 was launched on Saturday afternoon. SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule usually carries four people to the ISS, but NASA has sent only two astronauts on the Crew-9 mission to save seats for the two people already there - Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore - who need a ride home.
Warm welcome for new guests
When Hague and Gorbunov arrived on Sunday, the astronauts already present at the International Space Station welcomed them very warmly. NASA has also released a video of their entry into the space station. They are seen hugging fellow astronauts.
Sunita Williams has been on the International Space Station since June
Williams and Wilmore arrived at the ISS in June aboard Boeing's Starliner capsule. Their mission, which was supposed to last for a few days, has been extended due to a glitch in the spacecraft. NASA first tried to repair the Starliner in space, but when it was unsuccessful, it was decided that Williams and Wilmore would be brought back by another spacecraft. The Boeing Starliner returned to Earth on September 7.
A total of nine astronauts, including Williams and Wilmore, were staying there before Crew-9 arrived at the ISS. The other seven people on the ISS are NASA's Michael Barrett, Matthew Dominic, Jeanette Epps and Donald Pettit and astronauts Alexander Grebenkin, Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner.