Rescue Mission Arrives
Hague and Gorbunov, who traveled aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule, entered the ISS after opening the hatch between the space station and the pressurized mating adapter at 7:04 p.m. EDT. They were warmly greeted by the Expedition 72 crew, which included Williams and Wilmore. The SpaceX-launched rescue mission will bring the stranded astronauts home next year.
NASA’s Johnson Space Center celebrated the arrival with a post on X, saying, “The official welcome! The Expedition 72 crew welcomed Crew 9, NASA astronauts Nick Hague, the Crew 9 commander, and cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, the Crew 9 mission specialist, after their flight aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.”
A Mission Gone Wrong
Williams and Wilmore had initially launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024, for its first crewed flight. The mission, designed to last just eight days, faced immediate issues after they arrived at the ISS on June 6. A series of technical problems, including thruster failures and helium leaks, compromised the Starliner spacecraft, making their return trip uncertain.
Due to the malfunction, NASA deemed it too risky for the astronauts to return on Starliner. In September, the spacecraft returned to Earth empty, carrying only station equipment and leaving Williams and Wilmore stranded in space.
An Extended Stay in Space
NASA eventually decided to bring the astronauts back to Earth using a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule in 2025, extending their stay on the ISS far beyond the original plan. Instead of an eight-day mission, Williams and Wilmore will now remain in space for an additional eight months, with their return expected in February.This unexpected extension turned what was meant to be a brief visit into an eight-month-long space mission, testing the endurance and patience of the two astronauts.