TheParagon

Mission
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). 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. Hague will serve 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. The Falcon 9 first-stage booster, designated B1085, will be making its second flight.

Originally scheduled for 18 August 2024, the launch was rescheduled to 24 September after NASA decided to return the Boeing 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. 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.

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. 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.

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 servicemember launched from a Space Force launch complex.

Names USCV-9
Mission type ISS crew transport
Operator SpaceX
COSPAR ID 2024-178A
SATCAT no.61447
Mission duration 144 days, 3 hours, 59 minutes (in progress)
Spacecraft properties
Spacecraft Crew Dragon Freedom
Spacecraft type Crew Dragon
Manufacturer SpaceX
Crew
Crew size2 up, 4 down
Members
Nick Hague
Aleksandr Gorbunov
Landing
Barry E. Wilmore
Sunita Williams
Expedition Expedition 72 / 73
Start of mission
Launch date September 28, 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
Landing date March 2025 (planned)
Landing site Pacific Ocean (planned)
Orbital parameters
Reference system Geocentric orbit
Regime Low Earth orbit
Inclination 51.66°
Docking with ISS
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 19 March 2025 (planned)
Time docked 108 days, 8 hours, 51 minutes (in progress)