NASA SpaceX Crew-9 launch now scheduled later this week: Will they help bring Sunita Williams back from space?

NASA and SpaceX have delayed the launch of the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) due to the anticipated impact of Tropical Storm Helene on Florida's east coast. The launch, originally scheduled for earlier in the week, is now targeted for no earlier than 1:17 PM EDT (10:47 PM IST) on Saturday, September 28th.

While Tropical Storm Helene is expected to primarily affect the Florida panhandle, the storm system is large enough to bring high winds and heavy rain to the Cape Canaveral and Merritt Island regions, where the launch is set to take place. These conditions have prompted NASA and SpaceX to postpone the launch to ensure the safety of the crew and mission.

Despite the delay, teams were able to complete a launch day rehearsal with the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 rocket on Tuesday night. The integrated system was then moved back to the hangar to protect it from potential storm damage.

Crew-9 Mission Objectives

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are assigned to the Crew-9 mission, marking the ninth crew rotation mission with SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Crew Program. They will spend approximately five months on the ISS, conducting scientific research and performing maintenance tasks.

Unrelated to Sunita Williams' Return, Might Help with Data

This launch delay is unrelated to the ongoing situation with astronaut Sunita Williams, who is currently aboard the ISS following technical issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. Williams and her crewmate, Barry Wilmore, are expected to return to Earth in February 2025 on a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The Crew-9 mission will not be involved in their return.

While the mission is directly not related to bringing them back to Earth from the International Space Station, it is expected to be helpful for SpaceX to gather data and have more preparedness for the Crew Dragon capsule next year.