**SpaceX’s Crew Dragon Gears Up for Launch with NASA Astronaut Nick Hague and Russian Cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov**
On Saturday, NASA astronaut Nick Hague along with Russian cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will set off on a five-month journey to the International Space Station (ISS) aboard SpaceX’s Crew Dragon vehicle. This mission, designated Crew-9, is scheduled to launch on a Falcon 9 rocket from Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Liftoff is anticipated at 1:17 pm EDT (17:17 UTC), with a 55% probability of favorable weather.
This mission signifies SpaceX’s 15th crewed flight since 2020 and its 10th astronaut launch with NASA. Notably, the Crew-9 mission is distinguished by the presence of only two astronauts on board as opposed to the standard four-person crew.
### A Mission with Open Seats
Originally, the Crew-9 mission was expected to feature four astronauts: Nick Hague, Aleksandr Gorbunov, NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson, and mission commander Zena Cardman. Nonetheless, challenges arising from Boeing’s problematic Starliner test flight earlier this year prompted NASA to reevaluate the crew lineup.
Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which took off in June with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, faced numerous technical problems, such as thruster failures and helium leaks. Though the spacecraft successfully docked with the ISS and returned safely to Earth, NASA determined it was too hazardous to have Wilmore and Williams return aboard Starliner. Consequently, the two astronauts remained on the ISS, leading NASA to modify future crew missions.
To facilitate Wilmore and Williams’ return to Earth, NASA opted to exclude two astronauts from the Crew-9 mission. This action created available seats on the Crew Dragon vehicle currently docked at the ISS, enabling Wilmore and Williams to come home in February when Crew-9’s mission wraps up.
### Crew Changes and Command Adjustments
After thorough consideration, NASA decided to retain Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov for the Crew-9 mission. Hague, a 49-year-old Space Force colonel and veteran of a prior ISS mission, was initially designated as the pilot but will now assume the role of mission commander. Hague is well-versed in high-pressure space missions, having navigated a rare in-flight launch abort in 2018 during a failure of a Russian Soyuz rocket.
Aleksandr Gorbunov, a 34-year-old Russian aerospace engineer, will take on the role of pilot, even though he is officially titled a mission specialist. Gorbunov’s participation in the crew was part of an international agreement between NASA and Russia’s Roscosmos, ensuring that Russian cosmonauts are part of U.S. missions and vice versa.
The two astronauts who were dropped from the Crew-9 mission—Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson—will be reassigned to future missions. Cardman, a 36-year-old geobiologist, would have been the first rookie astronaut without test pilot experience to lead a NASA spaceflight. Wilson, a veteran with three previous space shuttle missions, was also a strong contender for the flight.
### Space Launch Complex-40: A New Chapter for Human Spaceflight
Saturday’s launch will be historic as it will be the first instance of astronauts launching from SpaceX’s SLC-40, representing a significant achievement for the company. Up until now, all SpaceX astronaut missions have taken off from Launch Complex-39A (LC-39A) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. SLC-40, which has been the most utilized launch pad by SpaceX, has recently undergone enhancements to support crewed missions.
The upgrades encompass a 200-foot-tall crew tower and a crew access arm, enabling astronauts to board the Crew Dragon spacecraft atop the Falcon 9 rocket. Additionally, SpaceX has installed emergency escape slide chutes to ensure a rapid exit path for astronauts and ground crews in the event of an emergency on the launch pad.
Incorporating SLC-40 as a launch site for crewed missions grants NASA and SpaceX increased flexibility for scheduling launches. For example, LC-39A is presently being readied for NASA’s Europa Clipper mission to be launched aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket in October. With SLC-40 now approved for astronaut launches, SpaceX can effectively facilitate both the Crew-9 and Europa Clipper missions without conflicts in the launch timetable.
### Pre-Launch Readiness and Contingency Planning
Earlier this week, Hague and Gorbunov took part in a dress rehearsal for launch day at SLC-40, ensuring they were well-acquainted with the pad’s setup and procedures. SpaceX also performed a test-firing of the Falcon 9 rocket, coupled with a thorough inspection of the Crew Dragon spacecraft.
During the inspection, SpaceX technicians identified soot from the rocket
