SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two stuck astronauts at the International Space Station, sending up a downsized crew to bring them home but not until next year.
WATCH ABOVE: : Boeing's inaugural astronaut mission came to a close late Friday night as the company's empty Starliner capsule landed in the New Mexico desert. The two test pilots were left behind at the International Space Station , as NASA deemed their return too risky and booked SpaceX to bring them home. However, their return won't happen until next year, more than eight months after they launched on Starliner – Sep 7, 2024because of safety concerns.
Williams has since been promoted to commander of the space station, which will soon be back to its normal population of seven. Once Hague and Gorbunov arrive this weekend, four astronauts living there since March can leave in their own SpaceX capsule. Their homecoming was delayed a month by Starliner’s turmoil.“There’s always something that is changing. Maybe this time it’s been a little more visible to the public,” he said.
“I don’t know exactly when my launch to space will be, but I know that I will get there,” Cardman said from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, where she took part in the launch livestream. Wilson joined her there for the early afternoon liftoff.Moments before liftoff, Hague paid tribute to his two colleagues left behind: “Unbreakable. We did it together.” Once in orbit, he called it a ”sweet ride” and thanked everyone who made it possible.
SpaceX has long been the leader in NASA’s commercial crew program, established as the space shuttles were retiring more than a decade ago. SpaceX beat Boeing in delivering astronauts to the space station in 2020 and it’s now up to 10 crew flights for NASA.
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