SpaceX docks at ISS to rescue stranded astronauts
SpaceX’s Dragon capsule docked at the ISS to rescue two astronauts stranded due to a fault in Boeing’s Starliner, with their return to Earth expected in February.
Photo Source: NASA
SpaceX’s Dragon capsule successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) to rescue two astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who were stranded aboard the station after issues with Boeing’s Starliner capsule.
The astronauts initially arrived on the Starliner in June for an eight-day mission, but a fault in the spacecraft’s propulsion system forced them to extend their stay. Engineers investigated the problems, which included helium leaks and faulty thrusters, but NASA deemed the Starliner unsafe for the return trip. SpaceX’s Dragon capsule was dispatched as an alternative, with Wilmore and Williams expected to return to Earth in February.
The Dragon capsule, which launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, also carried NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov, who will temporarily join the ISS crew. This mission highlights SpaceX’s growing role in NASA’s operations after the agency retired its shuttle fleet in 2011, leaving it reliant on private companies for astronaut transport.
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