SpaceX rescue mission to bring stranded astronauts back to Earth docks at ISS

The 2 astronauts stranded on the Worldwide Area Station since December are a step nearer to residence with the arrival of a SpaceX capsule.

SpaceX launched the rescue mission on Saturday afternoon with a downsized crew of two astronauts and two empty seats reserved for Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams who will return to Earth in February.

NASA switched Wilmore and Williams to SpaceX following considerations over the protection of the Boeing Starliner capsule they used to journey to the ISS.

It was the primary Starliner take a look at flight with a crew however NASA determined the thruster failures and helium leaks that occurred after liftoff had been too critical and poorly understood to threat the take a look at pilots’ return.

Starliner returned to Earth empty earlier this month.

The Dragon carrying NASA’s Nick Hague and the Russian Area Company’s Alexander Gorbunov will stay on the area station till February, turning what ought to have been a weeklong journey for Wilmore and Williams right into a mission lasting greater than eight months.

Two NASA astronauts had been pulled from the mission to make room for Wilmore and Williams on the return leg.

“I simply wish to say welcome to our new compadres,” Williams, the area station commander, mentioned as soon as Hague and Gorbunov floated inside and had been embraced by the 9 astronauts awaiting them.

NASA likes to switch its station crews each six months or so.

SpaceX has supplied the taxi service for the reason that firm’s first astronaut flight in 2020.

NASA additionally employed Boeing for ferry flights after the area shuttles had been retired, however flawed software program and different Starliner points led to years of delays and greater than $1 billion (€900 million) in repairs.

Starliner inspections are underway at NASA’s Kennedy Area Centre, with post-flight evaluations of information set to start this week.