NASA’s Crew-9 mission: Starliner astronauts to return as Crew-10 prepares for launch

NASA astronauts to return to Earth after 9-month stay in space

Former astronaut Captain Winston Scott joins Good Day Orlando to discuss the recovery process for NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore after they spent nine months stranded in space.

ORLANDO, Fla. - NASA astronauts, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore, who launched aboard the troubled Starliner capsule to the International Space Station months ago, are expected to return to Earth with Crew-9 following the handover with Crew-10 pending weather conditions at the splashdown sites off the coast of Florida.

What is Crew-9?

Crew-9 is the ninth operational flight of the Crew Dragon spacecraft. It was originally scheduled to launch in mid-August 2024 but was postponed due to complications with Boeing's uncrewed Starliner spacecraft.

After further adjustments, the mission launched in late September 2024 with two crew members instead of the originally planned four so the two Starliner astronauts stuck aboard the ISS could return to earth with Crew-9.

What we know:

PHOTO DATE: 10-26-23 LOCATION: Bldg. 8, Room 183 - Photo Studio SUBJECT: Official Crew-9 Crew Portraits with Zena Cardman, Nick Hague, Stephanie Wilson and Aleksandr Gorbunov. PHOTOGRAPHER: BILL STAFFORD AND ROBERT MARKOWITZ

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Who is aboard?

NASA astronaut Nick Hague, commander, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, mission specialist, are part of crew-9 and were the two astronauts sent to the ISS in September 2024.

NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were a part of the Boeing Starliner mission, joined Crew-9 when Hague and Gorbunov boarded the ISS.

What happened on the Starliner mission?

After a series of delays, Williams and Wilmore flew to the International Space Station aboard Boeing's Starliner aircraft in June 2024. It was expected to be a week-long mission aboard the International Space Station – a mission that has now exceeded nine months.

Prior to the Starliner's successful launch to the ISS, there were helium leak issues that needed to be addressed. The Starliner successfully made it to the ISS, but experienced several helium issues on the way up.

NASA astronauts talk Boeing Starliner troubles, ISS research

Boeing Starliner astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams discussed the troubled spacecraft, being stuck in space, and their next steps aboard the International Space Station.

In September, it was determined that Starliner would leave the ISS and return to Earth without its crew due to safety concerns. Starliner ultimately returned to Earth without major issues, NASA said.

NASA then decided that the two Starliner astronauts would return to Earth aboard SpaceX's capsules, joining Crew-9, when the Crew-10 mission arrives to the ISS.

What is crew 10?

The flight is the 10th crew rotation mission with SpaceX to the space station, and the 11th human spaceflight as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program.

Crew-10 preps for Wednesday launch

The four astronauts are preparing for launch to the ISS on Wednesday.

When do they launch?

Crew-10 is scheduled to lift off from Launch Complex 39A at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 12 at 7:48 p.m.

Whose onboard?

Four astronauts will be part of Crew-10's mission to the International Space Station, replacing Crew-9. They're expected to be up there for around 6 months and return to Earth in Fall 2025, according to NASA.

Anne McClain (NASA) - commander
Nichole Ayers (NASA) - pilot
Takuya Onishi (JAXA) - mission specialist
Kirill Peskov (Roscosmos) - mission specialist

The official portrait of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 members with (from left) Mission Specialist Kirill Peskov of Roscosmos; Pilot Nichole Ayers and Commander Anne McClain, both NASA astronauts; and Mission Specialist Takuya Onishi from JAXA (Japan Aerospa

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