NASA’s ‘rescue mission’ for Sunita Williams on way to ISS: Here’s why we still need astronauts in space in this age of satellites

NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 mission lifted off at 1:17 pm EDT from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to bring back stranded astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore safely back to Earth. The mission marks the first time a human spaceflight mission being launched from the pad.

The Dragon capsule is expected to dock with the ISS in approximately over 20 hours. "Crew9 is scheduled to arrive at the @Space_Station on Sunday, Sept. 29 at 5:30pm ET (2130 UTC). Coverage begins on NASA+ at 3:30pm ET (1930 UTC)," NASA said in a post on X (formally twitter).

The Crew-9 mission, part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, is carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov to the International Space Station (ISS). Initially scheduled for September 26, the launch was delayed due to Hurricane Helene, which disrupted Florida’s Gulf Coast. 

The mission’s primary objective is to deliver Hague and Gorbunov to the ISS for a five-month stay, while ensuring the safe return of Williams and Wilmore. Originally, Williams and Wilmore travelled to the ISS in June on Boeing’s Starliner capsule for an eight-day mission, but their stay was extended due to issues with the Starliner’s thrusters. 

In the light of the issues with the Boeing’s Starliner capsule many have questioned on why we need astronauts in ISS in today’s age of satellites. 

Here is the answer. 

Role of ISS 

The International Space Station (ISS) was originally intended to be a staging base for future missions to the Moon, Mars, and asteroids. It is a research platform that allows scientists to conduct experiments that can’t be done on Earth. This research includes studying the effects of space radiation and microgravity, and searching for dark matter.  

The ISS provides a location in the relative safety of low Earth orbit to test spacecraft systems that will be required for long-duration missions to the Moon and Mars. This provides experience in operations, maintenance, and repair and replacement activities on-orbit. 

The ISS provides lessons that will help NASA prepare for future space exploration missions. These lessons include how to keep a spacecraft working for a long time. The ISS has been continuously inhabited for over 20 years, and will continue to provide advanced research benefits to humans until at least 2030. 

Do astronauts/cosmonauts are needed on the ISS? 

Operating the space station requires physical, hands-on maintenance by the crew, on both US Orbital Segment and the Russian Segment, to ensure systems continue functioning. NASA and Roscosmos crew members are not trained to operate each other’s respective segments without onboard assistance. In failure scenarios on the US Orbital Segment, only US astronauts are trained to fully respond, either through actions inside the station (e.g., to change out a component) or through spacewalks. The same is true for Roscosmos cosmonauts in failure situations originating on the Russian Segment. 

Having crew on board also generates options not available with typical satellites. Crew members can collect unscheduled data of an unfolding event such as a storm or volcanic eruption using handheld digital cameras. They also can provide real-time assessment to determine whether environmental conditions, such as cloud cover, are favorable for data collection. 

Research on the ISS drives innovation in new technologies and industries, such as robotics, laser communications, and sensor technology. Research on the ISS helps us understand the Earth's environment and the universe. For example, studies on bacteria in outer space support the hypothesis that life may exist throughout the universe.