NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 has successfully completed its ninth commercial crew rotation mission to the International Space Station (ISS), returning safely to Earth on Tuesday. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft splashed down off the coast of Tallahassee, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico.
The returning crew included NASA astronauts Nick Hague, Sunita Williams, and Butch Wilmore, along with Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. Their spacecraft landed at 5:57 p.m. EDT, where SpaceX recovery teams promptly retrieved them. Following their return to shore, the crew will travel to NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston for reunions with their families.
A Successful Mission Supporting Scientific Research
“This mission marks yet another milestone in our ongoing efforts to advance science, technology, and space exploration,” said NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro. “The dedication and teamwork demonstrated by the Crew-9 astronauts, along with our partners at SpaceX, highlight the remarkable progress we continue to make in space travel. Their contributions to scientific research and technology development will have lasting impacts on future missions.”
Hague and Gorbunov launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on September 28, 2024, docking with the ISS the following day. Meanwhile, Williams and Wilmore originally launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft on June 5, 2024, as part of NASA’s Boeing Crew Flight Test. Due to mission adjustments, Williams and Wilmore joined Expedition 71/72 and returned to Earth aboard Crew-9.
Record-Setting Achievements in Space
During their mission, Williams and Wilmore traveled approximately 121 million miles, spending 286 days in space and completing 4,576 orbits around Earth. Hague and Gorbunov traveled over 72 million miles, spending 171 days in space with 2,736 orbits completed.
Notably, Williams achieved a historic milestone, setting a record for the longest spacewalking time by a female astronaut with 62 hours and 6 minutes outside the ISS. She participated in two spacewalks, performing critical maintenance tasks such as removing a radio frequency group antenna, collecting samples from the ISS exterior, and installing patches on an X-ray telescope.
Advancing Science and Technology in Space
Throughout the mission, the Crew-9 team conducted over 150 unique scientific experiments and technology demonstrations, dedicating more than 900 hours to research. Their work included:
- Studying plant growth in microgravity conditions
- Advancing stem cell technology for potential treatments of blood diseases and cancers
- Testing innovative lighting systems to support astronaut circadian rhythms
- Deploying the first wooden satellite
- Investigating microbial survival in space
SpaceX Dragon ‘Freedom’ and the Future of Space Exploration
The Crew-9 mission utilized the Dragon spacecraft named Freedom, marking its fourth successful flight. Previously, Freedom supported NASA’s SpaceX Crew-4 mission, as well as Axiom Mission 2 and Axiom Mission 3. The spacecraft will now undergo inspection and refurbishment at SpaceX’s facility in Cape Canaveral in preparation for future missions.
This mission is part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which aims to ensure safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from low Earth orbit. With the recent launch of NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 on March 16, the ISS continues its role as a hub for groundbreaking research and innovation, paving the way for future human exploration of the Moon and Mars.
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