“Congrats to NASA and SpaceX on a successful launch,” NASA chief Bill Nelson said in a post on X. “We live in an exciting period of exploration and innovation in the stars.”

The rocket carried NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov to the ISS. The mission includes two empty seats reserved for Wilmore and Williams, who have been unable to return due to complications with their Boeing-designed Starliner spacecraft.

They were initially scheduled for an eight-day mission, but their stay was extended due to propulsion issues that necessitated a reevaluation of their return plans.

“The duo [Hague and Gorbunov will join the space station’s Expedition 72 crew of NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Jeanette Epps, Don Pettit, Butch Wilmore, and Suni Williams, as well as Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexander Grebenkin, Alexey Ovchinin, and Ivan Vagner,” NASA said in a statement.

The number of crew aboard the space station will increase to 11 for a short time until Crew-8 members Barratt, Dominick, Epps, and Grebenkin depart the space station in early October.

Following their stay aboard the space station, “Hague and Gorbunov will be joined by Williams and Wilmore to return to Earth in February 2025.”

NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free acknowledged the unique nature of the Crew-9 launch, which shifted from a full crew to just two members, expressing gratitude to SpaceX for their adaptability.

The launch, initially planned for mid-August, faced delays due to thorough assessments of the Starliner’s reliability and was further postponed by Hurricane Helene, eventually taking place in late September.

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The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft is set to dock with the ISS on Sunday around 21:30 GMT, facilitating a handover of responsibilities before the return journey.

During their five-month mission, Crew-9 is expected to conduct a total of 200 scientific experiments. Through this mission, NASA has optimised the utilization of the International Space Station, which has hosted continuous human activity for over 23 years.

This platform has been crucial for testing technologies, conducting scientific research, and honing the skills necessary for operating future commercial ventures in low Earth orbit and for deeper space exploration.