On Saturday, billionaire Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket from Florida’s Cape Canaveral. The rocket carried the Dragon spacecraft into space, with two crew members onboard – NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov.
Indian-origin astronaut Sunita Williams and her fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore have been stuck on the International Space Station (ISS) since June 5. The Dragon spacecraft is set to bring them back to Earth, with two of its four seats left vacant for their return.
This launch used a new pad for Falcon 9, marking its first mission from this site. NASA Chief Bill Nelson congratulated both NASA and SpaceX on social media for the successful launch, stating that humanity is in an exciting era of space exploration and innovation.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were sent to the ISS on Boeing’s new Starliner capsule earlier this year, on June 5, with plans to return on June 13. However, due to technical issues with the spacecraft, their return had been delayed.
Sunita and Butch Wilmore Stuck in Space for 116 Days
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore have now been in space for 116 days since their departure on June 5, aboard Boeing’s Starliner capsule. NASA had originally planned their return for February 2025, but the decision to use SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft for their earlier return was made due to safety concerns with the Starliner capsule.
Space Flights Are Risky: NASA Chief Bill Nelson
Nelson emphasized the inherent risks of space travel, stating that despite being as safe and precise as possible, space flights still carry uncertainties. He reiterated that the decision to leave Sunita and Butch on the ISS and return the Starliner capsule unmanned was driven by NASA’s commitment to safety.
The delay in Sunita and Butch’s return was a result of NASA wanting to thoroughly understand the technical issues with the Starliner capsule. Nelson stressed that improving the spacecraft’s design was essential for ensuring it could play a critical role in future ISS missions.
Why Were Sunita and Butch Sent to the Space Station?
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore were part of Boeing and NASA’s joint ‘Crew Flight Test Mission.’ Sunita was the pilot for this mission, while Wilmore served as the commander. The duo was initially expected to stay on the ISS for only eight days before returning to Earth.
Boeing’s CEO, Ted Colbert, called this mission a spectacular start to a new era of space exploration. The primary goal was to demonstrate the spacecraft’s capability to transport astronauts to and from the ISS. During their eight-day stay on the space station, Sunita and Wilmore were tasked with conducting research and several experiments.
This mission was also the first to use the Atlas V rocket for launching astronauts, and Sunita had the opportunity to manually fly the spacecraft during the test flight. Various flight objectives were met during this mission, marking significant milestones in space exploration.
Musk’s Space Mission Success: 4 Astronauts Safely Return
On September 15, SpaceX’s Polaris Dawn crew successfully returned to Earth. Their Dragon spacecraft landed safely near Florida’s Dry Tortugas Coast. The spacecraft re-entered Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of 27,000 km/h, with temperatures reaching up to 1,900 degrees Celsius due to friction with the air.
The Polaris Dawn mission, launched on September 10 via a Falcon-9 rocket, sent four astronauts into orbit (1,408.1 km). This was the highest altitude reached by astronauts in over 50 years.
