SpaceX Crew-9

The mission was initially to bring four crew members to the International Space Station (ISS): NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, Nick Hague, and Stephanie Wilson; and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Cardman was to be the commander and Hague the pilot, while Wilson and Gorbunov would serve as mission specialists. However, due to technical problems with the Boeing Starliner, NASA decided to return the Starliner uncrewed and launch Crew-9 with two open seats to return the Boeing Crew Flight Test astronauts to Earth.{{Cite web |last=Taveau |first=Jessica |date=24 August 2024 |title=NASA Decides to Bring Starliner Spacecraft Back to Earth Without Crew |url=https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-decides-to-bring-starliner-spacecraft-back-to-earth-without-crew/ |access-date=24 August 2024 |website=nasa.gov |publisher=NASA}}{{PD-notice}}

On 24 August 2024, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, along with a panel of agency officials, announced that the Boeing Starliner would return uncrewed and its astronauts would return on Crew-9. On 30 August, NASA announced that Hague and Gorbunov would fly on Crew-9 with Hague serving as commander. Gorbunov was required to fly as part of a NASA-Roscosmos crew interchange agreement.{{Cite web |last=Donaldson |first=Abbey A. |date=30 August 2024 |title=NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Changes Ahead of September Launch |url=https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasas-spacex-crew-9-changes-ahead-of-september-launch/ |access-date=30 August 2024 |website=nasa.gov |publisher=NASA}} Before the official announcement, Ars Technica reported that there was disagreement within NASA over who should fill the commander's seat in those six days. According to the reporting, NASA Chief Astronaut, Joe Acaba had initially selected Cardman to continue as commander, which had been met with some concerns in the astronaut office, stemming from NASA's history of never launching a mission without a test pilot or experienced astronaut in command. Both Cardman and Gorbunov are rookie astronauts who have never served as a test pilot. Hague, on the other hand, has prior spaceflight experience and is one of the few individuals who have survived a launch abort (with Soyuz MS-10).{{Cite web |last=Berger |first=Eric |author-link=Eric Berger (journalist) |date=23 August 2024 |title=Cards on the table - Are Butch and Suni coming home on Starliner or Crew Dragon? |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/08/as-nasa-nears-major-decision-on-starliner-heres-what-we-know-and-what-we-dont/3/ |access-date=24 August 2024 |website=arstechnica.com |publisher=Ars Technica |language=en}}

Following the crew changes, SpaceX, NASA, Cardman, Hague, Wilson, and Gorbunov collaborated for three weeks to identify how Hague could assume many of the tasks typically divided between the commander and pilot and determine which tasks could be assigned to Gorbunov, who would sit in the pilot's seat during launch. While Gorbunov is a qualified engineer and holds the rank of test cosmonaut (making him eligible to be a Soyuz commander), he had only previously received basic training on the Dragon in his role as a mission specialist.{{Cite podcast |url=https://www.nasa.gov/podcasts/houston-we-have-a-podcast/crew-9/ |title=Crew-9 |website=nasa.gov |publisher=NASA |date=20 September 2024 |access-date=26 September 2024 |quote=So now we have to do the pilot and the commander role as a single person, you know, so there's not going to be a pilot there. Now we have had three weeks of training and it's been awesome to watch the full team come together, to watch the SpaceX team, to watch the NASA team surge and just roll your sleeves up and figure out, okay, how do we need to change things? And it's, you know, we've had previously flown Dragon crew members in the astronaut office that have helped support us. Zena and Stephanie have been integral to this effort and have pointed out and helped us come up with some great ways to understand what we can and can't do given the training that Alex has cause he's there, he's been through this training for two years. And so, there are things that he is extremely capable of doing that I would do as a pilot. And so we want to leverage those. But there's also a lot of things that he hasn't been trained on. And so we identify where those limitations are and then, and then I figure out what I need to do in order to cover down on all of that. |last=Turner |first=Dane}} Although only serving in a limited capacity, Gorbunov will be the first Russian cosmonaut to be at the controls of an American spacecraft.

{{Spaceflight crew

| position1 = Commander

| crew1_up = {{Flag icon|USA}} Nick Hague

| agency1_up = NASA

| expedition1_up = Expedition 72

| flights1_up = Second{{efn|name=Note 1|Not counting the aborted flight of Soyuz MS-10.}}

| position2 = Mission Specialist

| crew2_up = {{Flag icon|Russia}} Aleksandr Gorbunov

| agency2_up = Roscosmos

| expedition2_up = Expedition 72

| flights2_up = First

| position3 = Mission Specialist

| crew3_up = none

| crew3_down = {{Flag icon|USA}} Barry E. Wilmore

| agency3_down = NASA

| expedition3_down = Expedition 71/72

| flights3_down = Third

| details3_down = Launched on Boeing Crew Flight Test

| position4 = Mission Specialist

| crew4_up = none

| crew4_down = {{Flag icon|USA}} Sunita Williams

| agency4_down = NASA

| expedition4_down = Expedition 71/72

| flights4_down = Third

| details4_down = Launched on Boeing Crew Flight Test

}}

File:The Official Portrait of NASA%27s SpaceX Crew-9 (53585829605 886005b260 o).jpg, Gorbunov, Hague, and Cardman, inset depicts the original mission patch]]

{{Spaceflight crew

| references =

| position1 = Commander

| crew1_up = {{Flagicon|USA}} Zena Cardman

| flights1_up = Would have been first

| agency1_up = NASA

| expedition1_up = Expedition 71/72

| position2 = Pilot

| crew2_up = {{Flagicon|USA}} Nick Hague

| flights2_up = Second{{efn|name=Note 1}}

| agency2_up = NASA

| expedition2_up = Expedition 71/72

| position3 = Mission Specialist 1

| crew3_up = {{Flagicon|USA}} Stephanie Wilson

| flights3_up = Would have been fourth

| agency3_up = NASA

| expedition3_up = Expedition 71/72

| position4 = Mission Specialist 2

| crew4_up = {{flagicon|RUS}} Aleksandr Gorbunov

| flights4_up = First

| agency4_up = Roscosmos

| expedition4_up = Expedition 71/72

}}

SpaceX Crew-9 is the ninth operational NASA Commercial Crew Program flight to the International Space Station (ISS) and the 15th crewed orbital mission for a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The flight was originally planned to deliver four crew members to the ISS for Expedition 72, a six-month science mission: NASA astronauts Zena Cardman (commander), Nick Hague (pilot), and Stephanie Wilson (mission specialist), along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov (mission specialist).{{Cite web |last=Doyle |first=Tiernan P. |date=17 July 2024 |title=NASA, SpaceX Invite Media to Watch Crew-9 Launch to Space Station |url=https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-spacex-invite-media-to-watch-crew-9-launch-to-space-station/ |access-date=17 July 2024 |website=nasa.gov |publisher=NASA}} However, NASA decided to return the two astronauts of the Starliner crewed flight test, using Crew-9. Therefore, Crew-9 launched with a crew of two instead.{{Cite web |last=Daines |first=Gary |date=20 August 2024 |title=FAQ: NASA's Boeing Crew Flight Test Return Status |url=https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/commercial-crew/starliner-faq |access-date=22 August 2024 |website=nasa.gov |publisher=NASA}} Hague served as commander, flying alongside Gorbunov.

The Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom, is a veteran of the SpaceX Crew-4 and Axiom Space's Ax-2 and Ax-3 missions.{{Cite web |last=Costa |first=Jason |date=26 July 2024 |title=NASA, SpaceX Targeting August 18 for Crew-9 Mission to Space Station |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/crew-9/2024/07/26/nasa-spacex-targeting-aug-18-for-crew-9-mission-to-space-station/ |access-date=6 August 2024 |website=blogs.nasa.gov |publisher=NASA |language=en}} The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, designated B1085, made its second flight.

Originally scheduled for 18 August 2024, the launch was rescheduled to 24 September after NASA decided to return the {{ComV|Starliner|Calypso}} spacecraft of the Boeing Crew Flight Test without its crew. This delay provided NASA additional time to assess the Starliner's condition, develop a safe return plan for its crew, and reconfigure the Starliner's software for an uncrewed return.{{Cite news |last=Berger |first=Eric |author-link=Eric Berger (journalist) |date=5 August 2024 |title=NASA likely to significantly delay the launch of Crew 9 due to Starliner issues |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/08/nasa-likely-to-significantly-delay-the-launch-of-crew-9-due-to-starliner-issues/ |access-date=5 August 2024 |publisher=Ars Technica |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Niles-Carnes |first=Elyna |date=6 August 2024 |title=NASA Adjusts Crew-9 Launch Date for Operational Flexibility |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/crew-9/2024/08/06/nasa-adjusts-crew-9-launch-date-for-operational-flexibility/ |access-date=6 August 2024 |website=blogs.nasa.gov |publisher=NASA}} ISS has only two IDSS ports, and one was occupied by Crew-8 while the other was occupied by Starliner. Therefore, Crew-9 did not launch until after Starliner undocked. Until Crew-9 arrived, they arranged to use SpaceX Crew-8 as their temporary emergency evacuation spacecraft, after which they transferred to Crew-9.{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Mark |date=4 September 2024 |title=Crew Studies Space Effects on Humans, Prepares Spaceships for Departure |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/spacestation/2024/09/04/crew-studies-space-effects-on-humans-prepares-spaceships-for-departure/ |access-date=5 September 2024 |website=blogs.nasa.gov |publisher=NASA}}

Crew-9 was slated to use Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, which had supported all previous SpaceX's crewed missions and is also the only pad that can support Falcon Heavy launches. When Crew-9's launch was rescheduled to 24 September, it was brought close to the launch NASA's Europa Clipper mission, which needed to launch from LC-39A on a Falcon Heavy during a 21-day window in early October. To avoid scheduling conflicts and ensure ample preparation time for both missions, SpaceX shifted the Crew-9 launch to Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.{{Cite news |last=Berger |first=Eric |author-link=Eric Berger (journalist) |date=6 August 2024 |title=NASA chief will make the final decision on how Starliner crew flies home |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/08/nasa-confirms-slip-of-crew-9-launch-to-late-september-for-flexibility/ |access-date=7 August 2024 |publisher=Ars Technica |quote=The Crew-9 mission is now expected to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This will be the first crewed launch from this complex, which SpaceX has built up in addition to its crew tower at Launch Complex 39A at nearby Kennedy Space Center.}} This was the first crewed mission to lift off from SLC-40. SpaceX had been constructing a crew access tower at this location since 2023 to facilitate such operations.{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=21 March 2024 |title=SpaceX's workhorse launch pad now has the accoutrements for astronauts |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/03/spacexs-workhorse-launch-pad-now-has-the-accoutrements-for-astronauts/ |access-date=7 August 2024 |publisher=Ars Technica}}

Hague, a U.S. Space Force colonel, is the first active member of the Space Force to launch into space since the branch was established in 2019. Because the launch moved to SLC-40, the mission also marks the first time a Space Force service member launched from a Space Force launch complex.{{Cite web |last=Tingley |first=Brett |date=8 August 2024 |title=US Space Force will make history when SpaceX's Crew-9 mission launches in September |url=https://www.space.com/space-force-1st-guardian-from-own-launch-pad-spacex-crew-9 |access-date=27 September 2024 |website=space.com |publisher=Space.com}}

Crew Dragon Freedom was relocated from the forward port of the Harmony module to the zenith (space facing) port to free up the forward port for CRS-31. All four astronauts that would later be returning home on Freedom were aboard the capsule for the relocation because the spacecraft is also the crew's "lifeboat".{{Cite web |last=Howell |first=Elizabeth |date=2 November 2024 |title=SpaceX Crew-9 astronauts, including Boeing Starliner crew, fly Dragon spacecraft to new ISS parking spot (video) |url=https://www.space.com/space-exploration/international-space-station/spacex-crew-9-spacecraft-iss-relocation-webcast |access-date=17 March 2025 |website=space.com |publisher=Space.com |language=en}}

The mission featured the last Dragon capsule splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico in March 2025. While SpaceX Dragon 1 missions had previously landed in the Pacific, SpaceX and NASA had shifted recovery operations to the Eastern U.S. in 2019. The move allowed astronauts and critical cargo to return to Kennedy Space Center more quickly after splashdown, and SpaceX opened a facility in Florida to take in capsules after flight and prepare them for the next mission. However, the move had an unforeseen consequence: the trunk module had to be jettisoned before reentry, and while the team expected it would burn up, SpaceX became aware of at least four cases of trunk debris being found on land. The shift back to Pacific Ocean splashdowns means that the trunk can stay attached longer and be directed towards a remote area of the ocean called Point Nemo (nicknamed the spacecraft cemetery), where any debris that survives reentry will be unlikely to cause damage.{{Cite web |last=Robinson-Smith |first=Will |date=26 July 2024 |title=NASA holds briefings on Crew 9 mission as SpaceX nears return to flight |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/07/26/watch-live-nasa-holds-briefings-on-crew-9-mission-as-spacex-nears-return-to-flight/ |access-date=27 July 2024 |website=spaceflightnow.com |publisher=Spaceflight Now |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=26 July 2024 |title=Dragon Recovery to Return to the U.S. West Coast |url=https://www.spacex.com/updates/ |access-date=27 July 2024 |website=spacex.com |publisher=SpaceX}}

SpaceX Crew-10, carrying four astronauts to replace Crew-9, arrived at the ISS on 16 March 2025. NASA typically schedules a week-long handover period to allow extra staffing aboard the station while the new crew completes orientation tasks and the departing crew prepares for their return.{{Cite web |date=29 April 2021 |title=Top Things to Know about Space Station Crew Handovers - NASA |url=https://www.nasa.gov/general/top-things-to-know-about-space-station-crew-handovers/ |access-date=17 March 2025 |language=en}} However, due to a delay in an upcoming supply flight,{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=10 March 2025 |title=Cygnus issue causes changes in ISS cargo missions |url=https://spacenews.com/cygnus-issue-causes-changes-in-iss-cargo-missions/ |access-date=17 March 2025 |website=spacenews.com |publisher=SpaceNews |language=en}} which necessitated conserving resources like food, and a brief window of favorable weather in the Gulf of Mexico for splashdown, the handover was shortened to just two days.{{Cite news |last1=Watkins |first1=Ali |last2=Chang |first2=Kenneth |date=16 March 2025 |title=NASA Schedules Quick Return of Astronauts in SpaceX Capsule |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/16/us/spacex-iss-nasa-astronauts-return.html?searchResultPosition=2 |access-date=17 March 2025 |work=The New York Times |language=en |issn=0362-4331}}

File:NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Launch (NHQ202409280009).jpg.]]

Hague and Gorbunov arrived at Kennedy Space Center on Saturday, 21 September 2024, to prepare for their mission. The crew was scheduled to quarantine at the Operations and Checkout Building, where they conducted a dry dress rehearsal, adjusted their sleep schedules, and rehearsed flight procedures. At the time, the launch date was set for Thursday, 26 September.{{Cite web |last=Sempsrott |first=Danielle |date=21 September 2024 |title=NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Duo Lands at Florida Spaceport |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/crew-9/2024/09/21/nasas-spacex-crew-9-duo-lands-at-florida-spaceport/ |access-date=27 September 2024 |website=blogs.nasa.gov |publisher=NASA}}

On Tuesday, 24 September, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and {{ComV|Crew Dragon|Freedom}} capsule were rolled out to SLC-40.{{Cite web |last=Niles-Carnes |first=Elyna |date=24 September 2024 |title=NASA, SpaceX Shift Crew-9 Launch to NET September 28 Over Weather Concerns |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/crew-9/2024/09/24/nasa-spacex-shift-crew-9-launch-to-net-sept-28-over-weather-concerns/ |access-date=27 September 2024 |website=blogs.nasa.gov |publisher=NASA |language=en}} However, due to the approaching Hurricane Helene, NASA announced that the Crew-9 launch was delayed until Saturday, 28 September.

Following a successful static fire and final dress rehearsal on Tuesday, the SpaceX Dragon and Falcon 9 rocket were rolled back to the hangar on Wednesday, 25 September 2024, as a precaution against potential weather impacts from Hurricane Helene, which was forecast to make landfall near the Florida panhandle on Thursday, 26 September.{{Cite web |last=Niles-Carnes |first=Elyna |date=25 September 2024 |title=NASA, SpaceX Complete Launch Rehearsal, Falcon 9 Static Fire |url=https://blogs.nasa.gov/crew-9/2024/09/25/nasa-spacex-complete-launch-rehearsal-falcon-9-static-fire/ |access-date=27 September 2024 |website=blogs.nasa.gov |publisher=NASA}}

Crew-9 was able to lift off on the first attempt on 28 September 2024 at 17:17:21 UTC (1:17:21 pm EDT, local time at the launch site).{{Cite news |last=Clark |first=Stephen |date=28 September 2024 |title=SpaceX launches mission to bring Starliner astronauts back to Earth |url=https://arstechnica.com/space/2024/09/spacex-set-to-launch-mission-to-bring-starliner-astronauts-back-to-earth/ |access-date=29 September 2024 |website=arstechnica.com |publisher=Ars Technica}} It was the first-ever human spaceflight to lift off from Space Launch Complex-40 (SLC-40) at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.{{Cite web |author1=Mike Wall |date=29 September 2024 |title=SpaceX's Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft arrives at ISS to help bring Starliner astronauts home (video) |url=https://www.space.com/spacex-crew-9-astronaut-mission-iss-docking |access-date=28 September 2024 |website=space.com |publisher=Space.com |language=en}} With a launch weather forecast that predicted a 45% chance of violating weather constraints and rain clouds that passed by as the crew boarded the rocket, NASA leaders later remarked that they had "threaded a needle" regarding the weather.{{Cite news |last=Chang |first=Kenneth |date=28 September 2024 |title=SpaceX Launches Mission to Bring Back Starliner Astronauts |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/28/science/spacex-launch-nasa.html |access-date=28 September 2024 |website=The New York Times }} After lifting the Dragon and second-stage to an altitude of {{convert|70|km|mi nmi|sp=us}} the rocket's first stage, Booster 1085 returned to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and touched down at Landing Zone 1, seven minutes and 36 seconds after launch, completing its second flight.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKXtysRx0b4 |title=NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Launch |date=28 September 2024 |publisher=NASA |time=4:09:00 |access-date=29 September 2024 |via=YouTube}} The second stage continued to lift the Dragon to an altitude of {{convert|200|km|mi nmi|sp=us}} before separation.{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKXtysRx0b4 |title=NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Launch |date=28 September 2024 |publisher=NASA |time=4:18:45 |access-date=29 September 2024 |via=YouTube}}

A few hours later, when the second stage was commanded to make a destructive reentry, it experienced an off-nominal deorbit burn, deviating from its planned trajectory. Although it landed safely in the ocean, the impact point was outside the designated target area. SpaceX typically commands its second stages to re-enter the atmosphere and land in the ocean to minimize orbital debris. The off-target landing increased the potential risk of harm, as aircraft and mariners were not instructed to avoid the area. In response, SpaceX announced a temporary grounding of the Falcon 9 rocket while investigating the root cause of the mishap.{{Cite news |last=Young |first=Steven |date=29 September 2024 |title=SpaceX grounds its Falcon rocket fleet after upper stage misfire |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2024/09/29/spacex-grounds-its-falcon-rocket-fleet-after-upper-stage-misfire/ |access-date=29 September 2024 |publisher=Spaceflight Now}} On 30 September 2024 the Federal Aviation Administration grounded the Falcon 9.{{Cite news |last=Roulette |first=Joey |date=30 September 2024 |title=US FAA grounds SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket after second-stage malfunction |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/us-faa-grounds-spacexs-falcon-9-rocket-after-second-stage-malfunction-2024-09-30/ |access-date=30 September 2024 |publisher=Reuters}} An exception was made for the launch of ESA's Hera. The FAA cleared the Falcon 9 to resume flights on 11 October.{{Cite news |last=Shepardson |first=David |date=11 October 2024 |title=US FAA approves SpaceX Falcon 9 return to flight after mishap probe |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/space/faa-approves-spacex-falcon-9-return-flight-after-mishap-probe-2024-10-11/ |access-date=11 October 2024 |publisher=Reuters}}

Note: Times are local to the launch site (Eastern Daylight Time).

{{LaunchAttempt

| date1 = 2024-09-26, 2:05 PM

| result1 = Scrubbed

| reason1 = Weather

| decision_date1 = 2024-09-24, 2:00 PM

| notes1 = Scrubbed due to the approach of Hurricane Helene; rocket rolled back to hangar.

| date2 = 2024-09-28, 1:17:21 PM

| result2 = Success

| weathergo2 = 55{{Cite web |date=27 September 2024 |title=Falcon 9 NASA Crew-9 Forecast |url=https://www.patrick.spaceforce.mil/Portals/14/Weather/Falcon%209%20NASA%20Crew%209%20L-1%20Day%20Forecast%20-%2028%20Sep%20Launch.pdf |access-date=2 October 2024 |website=patrick.spaceforce.mil |publisher=45th Weather Squadron}}

| notes2 = Weather forecast later improved to 70%.

}}

{{Gallery

| title = SpaceX Crew-9

| align = center

| footer =

| style = text-align:center;

| mode = packed

|NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Astronaut Suit-Up (KSC-20240928-PH-KLS01 0236).jpg|Hague and Gorbunov suited up in the Operations and Checkout Building before launch

|NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Falcon 9-Dragon Rollout at Space Launch C (NHQ202409270002).jpg|The strongback tilts the Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Crew Dragon Freedom to a vertical position at SLC-40

|Iss072e005655 (Sept 29, 2024) --- The SpaceX Dragon Freedom spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov approaches the International Space Station as it orbited 259 miles a.jpg|{{ComV|Crew Dragon|Freedom|full=nolink}} approaches the International Space Station

|Auroras move through Earth's atmosphere.jpg|Crew Dragon Freedom illuminated in a blue glow as auroras move through Earth's atmosphere

|NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Splashdown (NHQ202503180015).jpg|Crew Dragon Freedom is pulled in by {{MV|Megan}} after splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico

|NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 Splashdown (NHQ202503180005).jpg|From left, Wilmore, Gorbunov, Hague, and Williams inside Crew Dragon Freedom after splashdown

}}

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