SpaceX arrives at the International Space Station to rescue stranded astronauts

The SpaceX capsule that is supposed to recover the two stranded astronauts has arrived at the International Space Station (ISS).

Pilot Sunita “Suni” Williams and Commander Barry “Butch” Wilmore were on board a test flight the ISS on Boeing’s newest spacecraft on June 5th.

They were supposed to stay in orbit for eight days – but problems with Starliner’s propulsion system left them stranded in space for months.

NASA confirmed in August that the two will not return to Earth until 2025with SpaceX now responsible for rescuing astronauts on a Crew Dragon flight.

American Nick Hague and Russian Alexander Gorbunov crewed the capsule, which docked with the ISS at 5.30pm EDT (around 10.30pm UK time) on Sunday after launching on Saturday evening.

NASA said the capsule was attached to the ISS in complete darkness as it hovered 260 miles above Botswana.

Mr Hague and Mr Gorbunov will not return until February next year, along with Ms Williams and Mr Wilmore – who will take up two vacant places on Crew Dragon.

By then, the two stranded astronauts will have been in space for eight months.

The arrival of the two new astronauts means there will be 11 people living on the ISS, NASA said.

Before the launch, Mr Hague said: “There is always something changing.” [with spaceflight].

“Maybe it was a little more visible to the public this time.”

He also said when he arrived at Cape Canaveral last week, “We have a dynamic challenge before us.”

“We know each other, are professionals and do what is asked of us.”

Dina Contella, NASA’s deputy program manager, said the two astronauts watched SpaceX’s launch from the ISS, with Ms. Williams cheering “go Dragon!”

Boeings Starliner has undocked from the ISS and flew back to Earth in September without a crew. NASA concluded that the engine failures and helium leaks that occurred after launch were too serious and too poorly understood to jeopardize the test pilots’ return.

In a press conference from space that same month, Ms. Williams and Mr. Wilmore said the space station had become their “happy place”.

“That’s how it is in this business,” she said, adding, “You have to turn the page and look for the next opportunity.”

Read more:
Elon Musk lashes out after “summit snub”.
“Mini-Moon” is about to enter Earth’s orbit

Mr Wilmore also added: “There has been quite a development over the last three months, we have been involved in all the processes of evaluating our spacecraft from the very beginning.”

“And it was tiring at times. There have been some difficult times throughout.”

SpaceX arrives at the International Space Station to rescue stranded astronauts | Science and technology news

Recent Posts