NASA on Friday reassigned a new group of astronauts for its SpaceX Crew-9 mission, ahead of its launch in September 2024. Astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov have been designated as commander and mission specialist respectively for the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft, which is scheduled to lift off on Sept. 24.
Previously announced NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson have been reassigned to future missions, the space administration said in its latest update. The other astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who went to space The Starliner spacecraft, which will launch in June, will return to Earth with Hague and Gorbunov in February 2025.
NASA’s decision comes after it decided to launch Crew-9 with two empty seats, following a Boeing manned flight test without a crew.
Chief Astronaut Joe acaba’s decision
NASA Chief Astronaut Joe Acaba made the decision to include Hague based on his prior spaceflight experience and the need for an integrated crew that includes a Roscosmos cosmonaut for effective station operations.
Acaba acknowledged that reducing the crew size was a difficult decision, particularly given the original training with a crew of four, but expressed full confidence in the crew’s capabilities.
Cardman expressed pride and confidence in Hague and Gorbunov, noting that both will excel in their roles. “I am confident that Nick and Alex will assume their roles with excellence. All four of us remain committed to the success of this mission, and Stephanie and I look forward to flying when the time is right,” Cardman said.
Hague and Gorbunov to join Sunita Williams
Space X’s Crew 9 mission will mark Hague’s third spaceflight. Her first launch in October 2018 was aborted due to a rocket failure, but she then successfully flew to the ISS in March 2019. With more than 200 days in space, Hague has participated in several critical spacewalks and served as the Space Force’s director of test and evaluation before returning to the International Space Station. POT.
Gorbunov, who will be making his first spaceflight, has an engineering background and previous experience supporting spacecraft launches. As Expedition 72 crew members, Hague and Gorbunov will join Wilmore, WilliamsNASA astronaut Don Pettit and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner for ongoing scientific research on the spacecraft.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.