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SpaceX on Saturday launched a Falcon rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Saturday with two crew members on board to ship the Dragon capsule to the Worldwide House Station that may convey again the astronauts stranded by their troubled Boeing Starliner subsequent yr.
In June, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched on the Starliner, which suffered thruster issues and helium leaks, leaving the area company to conclude returning them to Earth within the capsule after what was alleged to be an eight-day mission was too dangerous.
The crewless Starliner ultimately landed in New Mexico earlier this month, whereas Wilmore and Williams remained on the area station.
NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov launched from the Kennedy House Middle on Saturday’s mission with two empty seats on Dragon that may convey Wilmore and Williams residence in February.
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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with a crew of two lifts off from launch pad 40 on the Kennedy House Middle in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday. (AP Picture/John Raoux)
Two astronauts have been minimize from the SpaceX mission to make room for Wilmore and Williams.
As soon as Hague and Gorbunov arrive on the area station Sunday afternoon, 4 different astronauts who have been delayed a month by Starliner’s issues will return to Earth in their very own SpaceX capsule.
“There’s at all times one thing that’s altering,” Hague mentioned earlier than the launch of the evolving nature of area missions. “Perhaps this time it’s been somewhat extra seen to the general public.”
NASA astronaut Nick Hague, proper, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov go away the Operations and Checkout constructing for a visit to the launch pad 40 at Kennedy House Middle in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday. (AP Picture/Chris O’Mearaj)
NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy known as “human spaceflight” “difficult and dynamic” at a post-launch information convention Saturday.
“What a wonderful day it was in the present day,” she mentioned. “We solely have two crew members as a substitute of 4. A crew member change just isn’t a small factor.”
She added that “it was the precise factor to do.”
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Melroy mentioned the 2 astronauts who have been minimize from the mission have been there to emotionally help Hague and Gorbunov on the launch.
NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, each Expedition 71 Flight Engineers, make pizza aboard the Worldwide House Station’s galley positioned contained in the Unity module on Sept. 9. (NASA through AP)
“The Worldwide House Station is unbelievable, it’s a extremely particular place,” she added, saying it “permits folks to “look past gravity” and to construct applied sciences to discover the entire photo voltaic system.
After they attain the area station, Hague and Gorbunov will probably be doing lots of of “thrilling experiments,” together with finding out human cells and blood clotting.
Dana Hutcherson, deputy program supervisor of NASA’s Industrial Crew Program, mentioned he was “happy to report Nick and Aleksandr are safely in orbit” after an “extremely easy” launch and are anticipated to land on the area station round 5:30 p.m. ET Sunday.
Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, left, and NASA astronaut Nick Hague journey inside a SpaceX capsule en path to the Worldwide House Station after launching from the Kennedy House Middle in Cape Canaveral, Fla., Saturday. (NASA through AP)
“The crew is getting out of their fits right now,” Hutcherson mentioned, including that Gorbunov and Hague can be getting some relaxation and a meal within the capsule earlier than getting ready for docking operations.”
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After docking on the ISS, they’re anticipated to have a welcome ceremony.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
SpaceX launches mission to area station that may convey again stranded NASA astronauts subsequent yr
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