The NASA-SpaceX spacecraft took off for the International Space Station (ISS) on September 29 carrying two astronauts. The purpose of this mission is to bring back Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore trapped in space. Williams and Wilmore will return to Earth in February 2025. The NASA-SpaceX mission reached orbit safely after successfully launching from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This mission is the first human spaceflight to be launched from Space Launch Complex-40.

Two seats vacant for Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams

NASA wrote on X, "SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is heading towards the International Space Station (ISS). The new crew is arriving at the orbiting laboratory on Sunday, September 29 for a five-month science mission." The spacecraft is carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague (commander) and Roscosmos astronaut Alexander Gorbunov (mission specialist). Apart from the members of Crew-9, two seats have been left vacant on the spacecraft for astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams.

First Starliner declared unfit

Williams and Wilmore reached the ISS after an eight-day journey on Boeing's faulty Starliner. NASA declared the Starliner unsuitable for human travel, although it returned safely to Earth. But both astronauts were stuck in space because boarding the Starliner was too risky.

Sunita is deeply connected to Indian culture

Sunita Williams is the second Indian-American astronaut to go to space. Sunita is deeply connected to Indian culture. In December 2006, she went to the International Space Station with a copy of the Bhagavad Gita. In July 2012, she took a symbol of Om and a copy of the Upanishads to the space station. In September 2007, Williams visited the Sabarmati Ashram and her native village Jhulasan in Gujarat.