SpaceX has successfully launched a mission to retrieve two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) since June.
“We’re thrilled to be sending a reliable ride home for Butch and Suni,” said SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell. “The safety of our astronauts is always our top priority.”
The Dragon capsule, carrying fresh supplies and two empty seats for the stranded astronauts, lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida on Saturday. The mission had initially been scheduled for Thursday but was delayed due to Hurricane Helene.
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“We’ve been preparing for this contingency, and our teams have worked tirelessly to ensure a safe and successful mission,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.
Butch and Suni’s original eight-day mission was extended after a fault was discovered on the new Boeing Starliner, which returned to Earth empty as a precaution. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov are accompanying the fresh supplies and will bring the stranded astronauts home in February.
“International cooperation is critical to the success of our space program,” said Roscosmos Director General Yuri Borisov. “We’re grateful for our partnership with NASA and SpaceX.”
Under a contract between NASA and Roscosmos, Russian Soyuz spacecraft and SpaceX’s Dragon capsule alternate in ferrying crews to and from the ISS every six months.
The Dragon capsule is expected to dock with the ISS on Sunday at approximately 21:30 GMT.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming Butch and Suni back home,” said Shotwell.
With this mission, SpaceX, founded by Elon Musk, reaffirms its commitment to ensuring the safety and success of space exploration.