Here’s how to watch Sunita Williams’ rescue mission live as SpaceX and NASA prepare. On September 28, at 6:40 p.m. IST, SpaceX is scheduled to launch from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
The goal of the September 28 launch of the SpaceX Crew Dragon space capsule is to rescue Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, two NASA astronauts who are stranded. The launch, which was originally planned for September 26, was postponed because of Tropical Storm Helene’s possible effects, which are being felt in the Gulf of Mexico.
SpaceX Crew Dragon Launch – Watch Live
NASA reports that the launch from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida is scheduled to occur on September 28 at 6:40 p.m. IST. The intended docking time on September 29 is roughly 2:30 am.
NASA+ and the agency website will provide live coverage of the prelaunch briefing, launch, post-launch press conference, and docking. NASA content is also available for streaming on a number of sites, including social media. To see the updates in real time, you can also touch on the YouTube link for the livestream.
Sunita Williams Rescue Mission
For a five-month science mission, NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will be stationed at the International Space Station aboard the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. Under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, this is the ninth crew rotation and the tenth human mission to the station that Dragon has enabled since 2020. In February 2025, they will return Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams in the same spacecraft.
Notably, the Crew-9 mission had to be postponed from its original mid-August timetable in order to give more time for the analysis of problems with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which was still parked at the International Space Station at the time. Interestingly, Crew-9’s four-man crew was halved to make room for Williams and Wilmore’s return.
After Williams and Wilmore arrived to the ISS, multiple mechanical problems, including leaks of helium, were discovered. As a result, NASA decided it was too dangerous for them to return on the Boeing Starliner. On September 6, the Starliner made a successful landing in New Mexico after being sent back without a crew.
Delays and Challenges ahead of Launch
There were several delays to the Crew-9 launch, which was originally planned for mid-August. The mandatory tests of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which has been having technical problems, were the cause of the delays. Furthermore, the launch location in Florida has been impacted by the recent tropical storm Helene, raising concerns about strong winds and heavy rains. In order to protect the crew and the equipment, NASA made the wise choice to postpone the launch.
Stranded Astronauts awaiting Rescue
Because of troubles with their Starliner’s reaction control thrusters and helium leaks, Williams and Wilmore have been deemed “stranded” in space. Because of this, their mission—which was only supposed to last eight days—has gone over eight months, and they are now on board the International Space Station (ISS) as full-time crew members with seven other people. Together with the other two crew members, they will return to Earth in February as part of the Crew-9 mission, which will take place onboard a Dragon spacecraft.
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Shubhangi Gupta is a distinguished content writer and the visionary founder of The Unpleasant – Acha Nahi Sabse Sacha. With a Master’s degree in Commerce from University of Lucknow, Shubhangi has seamlessly blended her academic background with her passion for reading and writing, embarking on a successful career as a content writer since 2019.
