'We are vertical at the pad': Crew-9 set for daring mission to 'rescue' Sunita Williams today. Here's what you need to know

NASA’s Crew-9 mission, set to launch this Saturday, aims to reunite astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore with the spacecraft that will finally bring them home after spending over 100 days longer than expected on the International Space Station (ISS).

The mission is scheduled to lift off at 1:17 p.m. ET from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, with live coverage available on NASA’s website.

This mission, originally delayed due to Hurricane Helene, is on track after mission teams reset the launchpad. “We rolled out a little late this morning,” said Steve Stich, manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. “We are vertical at the pad.” If weather or technical issues delay the Saturday launch, a backup window is available at 12:54 p.m. ET on Sunday.

Unlike previous missions under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, Crew-9 will carry only two crew members—NASA’s Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. The remaining two seats will be left empty, reserved for Williams and Wilmore for their return journey in 2025.

This mission structure was decided in late August after NASA deemed Boeing’s Starliner capsule, which took Williams and Wilmore to the ISS, too risky for their return due to issues with helium leaks and thruster malfunctions. While NASA continues to rely on SpaceX for crew rotations, the status of Boeing’s Starliner remains uncertain.

Once launched, the Crew Dragon spacecraft, named Freedom, will separate from its Falcon 9 rocket and make its way to the ISS. The docking is expected around 5:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, reuniting Hague and Gorbunov with Williams and Wilmore.

For Williams and Wilmore, this marks a significant extension to their planned mission. Originally expected to return after a weeklong test flight, they have spent months at the ISS, taking on full-time crew roles. When asked about the extended stay, Wilmore said, “I’m not gonna fret over it. There’s no benefit to it at all.”

Williams added, “This is my happy place. I love being up here in space. It’s just fun... Every day you do something that’s work, quote, unquote, you can do it upside down. You can do it sideways, so it adds a little different perspective.”

NASA’s decision to replace Williams and Wilmore’s original return crew, Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, with Hague and Gorbunov was announced in August. Despite her disappointment, Cardman expressed confidence in the new crew, saying, “Nick and Alex are truly an excellent team, and they will be ready to step up.”