 as commander and mission specialist, respectively. Initially, NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson were part of the mission, but they are now eligible for future assignments. The decision to adjust the crew follows NASA’s choice to fly an uncrewed Boeing Crew Flight Test, leaving two seats open on Crew-9. Joe Acaba, NASA’s Chief Astronaut, made the decision to ensure a balanced and effective crew. Nick Hague will be on his third spaceflight, bringing valuable experience, while Aleksandr Gorbunov will embark on his first space mission. Both will join the ISS Expedition 72, conducting research and maintenance with the current crew.){kind=link}
Agency has announced that astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will launch on SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) no earlier than Tuesday, September 24, 2024. This update comes after changes to the mission’s crew composition. Originally, Agency astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson were also part of the Crew-9 team, but they are now eligible to be reassigned to future missions.
Updated crew and mission settings
SpaceX’s upcoming Crew-9 mission will now be flown with a two-person crew aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Nick Hague will serve as mission commander, while Aleksandr Gorbunov will assume the role of mission specialist. This adjustment follows Agency’s decision to return the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test uncrewed, resulting in two open spots on Crew-9. Agency’s decision was made by Joe Acaba, chief astronaut at Agency’s Johnson Space Center, who needed to ensure a balanced crew with the experience and integration essential to the mission.
Joe acaba explained that the decision to reduce the crew size was a challenge. The crew had trained as a four-person team and adjusting to a smaller crew presented its own difficulties. Despite this, acaba expressed confidence in the crew’s capabilities and noted that Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson would continue to support their colleagues in preparing for the mission. Both Cardman and Wilson remain committed to the success of the mission and look forward to participating in future space flights.
Crew profiles and next mission
Nick Hague is set to embark on his third spaceflight. His previous missions include a challenging launch in October 2018, which involved an emergency landing following a rocket failure, and a subsequent successful mission in March 2019. During his time on the ISS, Hague conducted three spacewalks focused on upgrading the space station’s power systems and installing a docking adapter for commercial spacecraft. Hague, an active-duty colonel in the U.S. Space Force, will return to Agency after contributing to Boeing’s Starliner Program.
Aleksandr Gorbunov will embark on his first space mission. A native of Zheleznogorsk, Russia, Gorbunov has experience in space engineering and aircraft maintenance from his studies at the Moscow Aviation Institute and his work at Rocket Space Corp. Energia. His experience includes supporting cargo spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome prior to his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018.
Once in space, Hague and Gorbunov will join Expedition 72 aboard the ISS. They will work alongside Butch Wilmore, Suni Williams, Agency astronaut Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner. Their mission will focus on scientific research and maintenance as the ISS continues its 24-year history of continuous human occupation.