NASA's Crew-9 Mission: Advancing Space Exploration and International Cooperation

Tuesday - February 6 2024, 13:16 UTC - 9 months ago

NASA's Crew-9 mission, launching under the Commercial Crew Program, will take four astronauts to the ISS for important research and operations. The crew includes a first-timer and experienced veterans, and will join Expedition 71 and 72 members in August. Commanded by Zena Cardman, Nick Hague and Stephanie Wilson, and joined by Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, the crew will contribute to ongoing international cooperation and advancements in space technology.

NASA's Commercial Crew Program is approaching another milestone with the launch of the SpaceX Crew-9 mission, which will see four astronauts journey to the International Space Station (ISS) for important research and operational tasks. The crew comprises of a mix of first-timers and experienced veterans, who will join the Expedition 71 and 72 crew members in August.

The Crew-9 mission will be commanded by Zena Cardman, a newcomer to spaceflight who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017. She holds degrees in biology and marine sciences, and her research focuses on geobiology and geochemical cycling in subsurface environments. Since completing initial training, Cardman has been involved in real-time station operations and development for lunar surface exploration.

Joining Cardman is pilot Nick Hague, who has a total of 203 days in space and has already completed two missions to the ISS. During his first launch in 2018, Hague and his Russian crewmate Alexey Ovchinin experienced a rocket booster failure, resulting in an in-flight launch abort. He then went on to complete a six-month mission on the ISS during Expedition 59 and 60, conducting multiple experiments and conducting three spacewalks.

Stephanie Wilson is also a veteran astronaut, having spent a total of 42 days in space on three separate space shuttle missions. She will serve as a mission specialist for Crew-9 and has experience in operating the robotic arm, as well as completing spacewalks. Before becoming an astronaut, Wilson worked at Martin Marietta and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Rounding out the crew is Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, who will join the mission for Expedition 71 and 72. His specific duties and previous spaceflight experience are still to be determined.

Expedition 71 and 72 will also include a short-duration handover with the previous Crew-8 mission, allowing for a smooth transition of operations and research on the ISS. The crew will also be responsible for tasks such as upgrading space station power systems and installing a docking adapter for commercial spacecraft.

Overall, the Crew-9 mission reflects the importance of international cooperation in space exploration and will contribute to ongoing research and advancements in space technology.