A SpaceX Dragon capsule has successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) to bring back two astronauts who have been stranded since June due to a malfunction with Boeing’s Starliner capsule. The docking occurred at 17:30 eastern time (22:30 BST) as the ISS flew 265 miles above Botswana, southern Africa.
The mission was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Saturday, carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov. Upon arrival, the two were welcomed by the ISS crew, including Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were stranded after issues arose with Boeing’s Starliner capsule. The original Starliner flight, which took off on June 5, was Boeing’s first attempt to take astronauts to the ISS as part of its contract with NASA. However, during the mission, the Starliner experienced several technical problems, including helium leaks in its propulsion system and malfunctions with its thrusters.
These technical setbacks prompted NASA and Boeing engineers to investigate the issues over several months. In August, NASA decided it was not safe to use the Starliner for Wilmore and Williams’ return, leaving the astronauts stuck aboard the ISS longer than planned. Initially intended for an eight-day mission, the astronauts have now been on the ISS for over three months and are expected to return to Earth by February aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule.
NASA’s decision to send SpaceX’s Dragon capsule to retrieve the astronauts marks another successful milestone for Elon Musk’s private aerospace company. In 2020, SpaceX became the first private company to transport astronauts to the ISS, a significant achievement in NASA’s effort to have two American companies conduct manned missions to the station. Boeing and SpaceX were awarded contracts in 2014 worth $4.2 billion and $2.6 billion, respectively, as part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. The goal of the program is to reduce reliance on Russia’s Soyuz spacecraft, which had been NASA’s only means of transporting astronauts to and from the ISS since the retirement of the space shuttle fleet in 2011.
The launch of the Dragon capsule was originally scheduled for Thursday but was delayed due to the impact of Hurricane Helene, which caused widespread destruction across the southeastern United States, including Florida.
