SpaceX has successfully launched a mission to rescue two NASA astronauts, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, stranded on the International Space Station (ISS). The rescue mission was initiated after Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft faced technical issues, including thruster failures and helium leaks, preventing the astronauts return.

On Saturday, September 28,2024 SpaceX's Crew-9 mission lifted off from Cape Canaveral, carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov aboard a Crew Dragon capsule. Their primary objective is to bring Williams and Wilmore back to Earth.

Originally, Williams and Wilmore were expected to spend only a week in space. However, due to the spacecraft issues, their stay has extended to over eight months, with their return now scheduled for February 2024. NASA officials indicated that an earlier return was not feasible without disrupting other planned missions, leading SpaceX to reduce its crew size for this flight to accommodate the stranded astronauts.

Sunita Williams is currently in charge of the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS will soon have its regular crew of seven astronauts again. After Hague and Gorbunov arrive, the four astronauts who have been on the ISS since March will return home in their SpaceX capsule.

Boeing has encountered multiple setbacks with its Starliner spacecraft, prompting NASA to depend on SpaceX for this critical rescue operation.