 Crew Dragon Freedom, attached to the ISS, as it passes over Colorado | |
| Names | USCV-9 |
|---|---|
| Mission type | ISS crew transport |
| Operator | SpaceX |
| COSPAR ID | 2024-178A |
| SATCATno. | 61447 |
| Mission duration | 171 days, 4 hours, 39 minutes |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Spacecraft | Crew Dragon Freedom |
| Spacecraft type | Crew Dragon |
| Manufacturer | SpaceX |
| Crew | |
| Crew size | 2 up, 4 down |
| Members | |
| Landing | |
| Expedition | Expedition 72 |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 28 September 2024, 17:17:21 UTC (1:17:21 pm EDT) |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 (B1085.2),Flight 378 |
| Launch site | Cape Canaveral,SLC‑40 |
| End of mission | |
| Recovered by | MV Megan |
| Landing date | 18 March 2025, 21:57:07 UTC (5:57:07 pm EDT) |
| Landing site | Gulf of Mexico nearTallahassee, Florida (29°12′N84°06′W / 29.2°N 84.1°W /29.2; -84.1) |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Low Earth orbit |
| Inclination | 51.65° |
| Docking withISS | |
| Docking port | Harmony forward |
| Docking date | 29 September 2024, 21:30 UTC |
| Undocking date | 3 November 2024, 11:35 UTC |
| Time docked | 34 days, 14 hours, 5 minutes |
| Docking with ISS (relocation) | |
| Docking port | Harmony zenith |
| Docking date | 3 November 2024, 12:25 UTC |
| Undocking date | 18 March 2025, 05:05 UTC |
| Time docked | 134 days, 16 hours, 40 minutes |
  NASA (left) and SpaceX (right) mission patches  (Top, from left) landing crew:Williams andWilmore (Bottom, from left) launching and landing crew:Gorbunov andHague | |
SpaceX Crew-9 was the ninth operational NASACommercial Crew Program flight and the 15th crewed orbital flight of aCrew Dragon spacecraft. Originally scheduled to carry a crew of four to theInternational Space Station (ISS) in mid-August 2024, the mission was delayed by more than a month by problems with theBoeing Starliner Calypso spacecraft that was docked at the ISS for theBoeing Crew Flight Test. NASA decided to send the Starliner back to Earth uncrewed, launch Crew-9 with two crew members, and return with four crew members, including the two crew members of the Boeing Crew Flight Test. After that delay and other delays largely due to weather, Crew-9 launched on 28 September at 17:17:21 UTC (1:17:21 pm EDT, local time at the launch site).
The Crew-9 mission marked several milestones. It was the first crewed mission to launch fromCape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 40; astronautNick Hague was the first activeU.S. Space Force Guardian to launch to space; and the mission was the last Dragon capsule to splash down in the eastern United States.
The mission was initially to bring four crew members to theInternational Space Station (ISS):NASA astronautsZena Cardman,Nick Hague, andStephanie Wilson; andRoscosmos cosmonautAleksandr Gorbunov. Cardman was to be the commander and Hague the pilot, while Wilson and Gorbunov would serve as mission specialists.[1] However, due to technical problems with theBoeing Starliner, NASA decided to return the Starliner uncrewed and launch Crew-9 with two open seats to return theBoeing Crew Flight Test astronauts to Earth.[2]
On 24 August 2024,NASA AdministratorBill 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.[3] 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, NASAChief 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 (withSoyuz MS-10).[4]
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 oftest 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.[5] Although only serving in a limited capacity, Gorbunov will be the first Russian cosmonaut to be at the controls of an American spacecraft.
| Position | Launching crew | Landing crew |
|---|---|---|
| Commander |  Nick Hague,NASAExpedition 72 Second[a] spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist |  Aleksandr Gorbunov,RoscosmosExpedition 72 First spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist | None | Barry E. Wilmore,NASA Expedition 71/72 Third spaceflight Launched onBoeing Crew Flight Test |
| Mission Specialist | None | Sunita Williams,NASA Expedition 71/72 Third spaceflight Launched onBoeing Crew Flight Test |
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| Position[1] | Crew | |
|---|---|---|
| Commander | Zena Cardman,NASA Expedition 71/72 Would have been first spaceflight | |
| Pilot | Nick Hague,NASA Expedition 71/72 Second[a] spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 1 | Stephanie Wilson,NASA Expedition 71/72 Would have been fourth spaceflight | |
| Mission Specialist 2 | Aleksandr Gorbunov,Roscosmos Expedition 71/72 First spaceflight | |
SpaceX Crew-9 is the ninth operational NASACommercial Crew Program flight to the International Space Station (ISS) and the 15th crewed orbital mission for aSpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The flight was originally planned to deliver four crew members to the ISS forExpedition 72, a six-month science mission:NASA astronautsZena Cardman (commander),Nick Hague (pilot), andStephanie Wilson (mission specialist), along withRoscosmos cosmonautAleksandr Gorbunov (mission specialist).[1] 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.[6] Hague served as commander, flying alongside Gorbunov.
The Dragon spacecraft, namedFreedom, is a veteran of theSpaceX Crew-4 andAxiom Space'sAx-2 andAx-3 missions.[7] The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, designatedB1085, made its second flight.
Originally scheduled for 18 August 2024, the launch was rescheduled to 24 September after NASA decided to return theBoeing Starliner Calypso spacecraft of theBoeing 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.[8][9] 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 useSpaceX Crew-8 as their temporaryemergency evacuation spacecraft, after which they transferred to Crew-9.[10]
Crew-9 was slated to useLaunch Complex 39A (LC-39A) atKennedy Space Center, which had supported all previous SpaceX's crewed missions and is also the only pad that can supportFalcon Heavy launches. When Crew-9's launch was rescheduled to 24 September, it was brought close to the launch NASA'sEuropa 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 toSpace Launch Complex 40 atCape Canaveral Space Force Station.[11] 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.[12]
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.[13]
Crew DragonFreedom was relocated from the forward port of theHarmony module to the zenith (space facing) port to free up the forward port forCRS-31. All four astronauts that would later be returning home onFreedom were aboard the capsule for the relocation because the spacecraft is also the crew's "lifeboat".[14]
The mission featured the last Dragon capsule splashdown in theGulf of Mexico in March 2025. WhileSpaceX 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 calledPoint Nemo (nicknamed thespacecraft cemetery), where any debris that survives reentry will be unlikely to cause damage.[15][16]
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.[17] However, due to a delay in an upcoming supply flight,[18] 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.[19]
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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 theOperations 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.[20]
On Tuesday, 24 September, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket andCrew Dragon Freedom capsule were rolled out to SLC-40.[21] However, due to the approachingHurricane 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 fromHurricane Helene, which was forecast to make landfall near the Florida panhandle on Thursday, 26 September.[22]
Crew-9 was able to lift off on the first attempt on 28 September 2024 at 17:17:21UTC (1:17:21 pmEDT, local time at the launch site).[23] 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.[24] 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.[25] After lifting the Dragon and second-stage to an altitude of 70 kilometers (43 mi; 38 nmi) the rocket's first stage,Booster 1085 returned to the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and touched down atLanding Zone 1, seven minutes and 36 seconds after launch, completing its second flight.[26] The second stage continued to lift the Dragon to an altitude of 200 kilometers (120 mi; 110 nmi) before separation.[27]
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.[28] On 30 September 2024 theFederal Aviation Administration grounded the Falcon 9.[29] An exception was made for the launch of ESA'sHera. The FAA cleared the Falcon 9 to resume flights on 11 October.[30]
Note: Times are local to the launch site (Eastern Daylight Time).
| Attempt | Planned | Result | Turnaround | Reason | Decision point | Weather go (%) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 Sep 2024, 2:05:00 pm | Scrubbed | — | Weather | 24 Sep 2024, 2:00 pm | Scrubbed due to the approach ofHurricane Helene; rocket rolled back to hangar. | |
| 2 | 28 Sep 2024, 1:17:21 pm | Success | 1 day 23 hours 12 minutes | 55[31] | Weather forecast later improved to 70%. |
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This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.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.
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.
Media related toSpaceX Crew-9 at Wikimedia CommonsSee also:ISS expeditions,Uncrewed ISS flights | ||
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