posted 01-31-2024 02:33 PM               

NASA Shares Assignments for its SpaceX Crew-9 Space Station Mission

As part of NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 mission, four crew members are preparing to launch to the International Space Station and conduct a wide-ranging set of operational and research activities for the benefit of all.

Launching aboard the Dragon spacecraft, NASA astronauts Commander Zena Cardman, Pilot Nick Hague, and Mission Specialist Stephanie Wilson, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Mission Specialist Aleksandr Gorbunov, will join Expedition 71 and 72 crew members no earlier than August. They will arrive to the space station for a short duration handover with NASA's SpaceX Crew-8 mission

Above: Official NASA’s SpaceX Crew-9 portraits with Zena Cardman, Nick Hague, Stephanie Wilson and Aleksandr Gorbunov. (NASA)

This will be the first spaceflight for Cardman, who was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2017. The Williamsburg, Virginia, native holds a bachelor's degree in Biology and a master's in Marine Sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. At time of selection, she was a doctoral candidate in geosciences. Cardman's research focused on geobiology and geochemical cycling in subsurface environments, from caves to deep sea sediments. Since completing initial training, Cardman has supported real-time station operations and development for lunar surface exploration.

With a total of 203 days in space, this will be Hague's third launch and second mission to the orbiting laboratory. During his first launch in 2018, Hague and his crewmate, Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexey Ovchinin, experienced a rocket booster failure resulting in an in-flight launch abort. The Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft landed safely. Five months later, Hague launched aboard Soyuz MS-12 and served as a flight engineer aboard the space station during Expeditions 59 and 60. Hague and his crewmates participated in hundreds of experiments in biology, biotechnology, physical science, and Earth science. Hague conducted three spacewalks, to upgrade space station power systems and install a docking adapter for commercial spacecraft. As an active-duty colonel in the U.S. Space Force, Hague completed a developmental rotation at the Defense Department in Washington, where he served as the USSF director of test and evaluation from 2020 to 2022. In August 2022, Hague resumed duties at NASA working on the Boeing Starliner Program until this flight assignment.

A veteran of three spaceflights, STS-121, STS-120, and STS-131, Wilson has spent 42 days in space aboard three separate space shuttle Discovery missions. Before her selection as a NASA astronaut in 1996, she earned her bachelor's degree in Engineering Science from Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Texas in Austin, and worked at Martin Marietta and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. During her first mission, STS-121 in November 2004, she and her crewmates spent 13 days in orbit. Wilson served as the robotic arm operator for spacecraft inspection, for the installation of the "Leonardo" Multi-Purpose Logistics Module, and for spacewalk support. In November 2006, Wilson and her STS-120 crewmates aboard Discovery delivered the Harmony module to the station and relocated a solar array. In May 2009, Wilson and her STS-131 crewmates completed another mission to resupply the station, delivering a new ammonia tank for the station cooling system, new crew sleeping quarters, a window observation facility, and a freezer for experiments. During her nearly 30 years with NASA, Wilson served as the integration branch chief for NASA's Astronaut Office focusing on International Space Station systems and payload operations, and on a nine-month detail, served as the acting chief of NASA's Program and Project Integration Office at the agency's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland.

This will be Gorbunov's first trip to space and the station. Born in Zheleznogorsk, Kursk region, Russia, he studied engineering with qualifications in spacecraft and upper stages from the Moscow Aviation Institute. Gorbunov graduated from the military department with a specialty in operation and repair of aircraft, helicopters, and aircraft engines. Before being selected as a cosmonaut in 2018, he worked as an engineer for Rocket Space Corporation Energia and supported cargo spacecraft launches from the Baikonur cosmodrome.

This is the ninth rotational mission to the space station under NASA's Commercial Crew Program, which works with the American aerospace industry to meet the goal of safe, reliable, and cost-effective transportation to and from the orbital outpost on American-made rockets and spacecraft launching from American soil.

posted 08-06-2024 03:14 PM               

Crew-9 launch adjusted for operational flexibility

NASA and SpaceX are targeting no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 24, for the launch of the agency's Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station.

This adjustment allows more time for mission managers to finalize return planning for the agency's Boeing Crew Flight Test currently docked to the orbiting laboratory. Starliner ground teams are taking their time to analyze the results of recent docked hot-fire testing, finalize flight rationale for the spacecraft's integrated propulsion system, and confirm system reliability ahead of Starliner's return to Earth. NASA and Boeing continue to evaluate the spacecraft's readiness, and no decisions have been made regarding Starliner's return.

The Crew-9 launch adjustment also deconflicts the next SpaceX rotation with the upcoming Soyuz handover targeted for no earlier than mid-September. Teams are working to prepare the Crew-9 mission to be ready to launch from Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida to deconflict with pad preparations for NASA's Europa Clipper mission beginning this September at nearby Launch Complex 39A at the agency's Kennedy Space Center. NASA also will adjust the launch of SpaceX's 31st commercial resupply services mission to no earlier than mid-October.

posted 08-30-2024 09:48 AM               

NASA's SpaceX Crew-9 Changes Ahead of Launch

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will launch no earlier than Tuesday, Sept. 24, on the agency's SpaceX Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station. NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, previously announced as crewmates, are eligible for reassignment on a future mission.

Above: Portraits of NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov. (NASA)

Hague and Gorbunov will fly to the space station as commander and mission specialist, respectively, as part of a two-crew member flight aboard a SpaceX Dragon.

The updated crew complement follows NASA's decision to return the agency's Boeing Crew Flight Test uncrewed and launch Crew-9 with two unoccupied seats. NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who launched aboard the Starliner spacecraft in June, will fly home with Hague and Gorbunov in February 2025.

The decision to fly Hague was made by NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba at the agency's Johnson Space Center in Houston. Acaba had to balance flying a NASA crew member with previous spaceflight experience to command the flight, while ensuring NASA maintains an integrated crew with a Roscosmos cosmonaut who can operate their critical systems for continued, safe station operations.

"While we've changed crew before for a variety of reasons, downsizing crew for this flight was another tough decision to adjust to given that the crew has trained as a crew of four," said Acaba. "I have the utmost confidence in all our crew, who have been excellent throughout training for the mission. Zena and Stephanie will continue to assist their crewmates ahead of launch, and they exemplify what it means to be a professional astronaut."

The agency will share reassignment details for Cardman and Wilson when available.

"I am deeply proud of our entire crew," said Cardman, "and I am confident Nick and Alex will step into their roles with excellence. All four of us remain dedicated to the success of this mission, and Stephanie and I look forward to flying when the time is right."

Wilson added, "I know Nick and Alex will do a great job with their work aboard the International Space Station as part of Expedition 72."

With 203 days logged in space, this will be Hague's third launch and second mission to the orbiting laboratory. During his first launch in March 2018, Hague and his crewmate, Roscosmos' Alexey Ovchinin, experienced a rocket booster failure, resulting in an in-flight, post-launch abort, ballistic re-entry, and safe landing in their Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft. Five months later, Hague launched aboard Soyuz MS-12 and served as a flight engineer aboard the space station during Expeditions 59 and 60. Hague conducted three spacewalks to upgrade space station power systems and install a docking adapter for commercial spacecraft. An active-duty colonel in the U.S. Space Force, Hague completed a developmental rotation at the Defense Department, and served as the Space Force's director of test and evaluation from 2020 to 2022. In August 2022, Hague resumed duties at NASA, working on the Boeing Starliner Program until this flight assignment. Follow @astrohague on X and Instagram.

This will be Gorbunov's first trip to space and the station. Born in Zheleznogorsk, Kursk region, Russia, he studied engineering with qualifications in spacecraft and upper stages from the Moscow Aviation Institute. Gorbunov graduated from the military department with a specialty in operating and repairing aircraft, helicopters, and aircraft engines. Before his selection as a cosmonaut in 2018, he worked as an engineer for Rocket Space Corp. Energia and supported cargo spacecraft launches from the Baikonur Cosmodrome.

Hague and Gorbonov will become members of the Expedition 72 crew aboard the station. They will join Wilmore, Williams, fellow NASA astronaut Don Pettit, and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexey Ovchinin and Ivan Vagner conducting scientific research and maintenance activities into the station's 24th year of continuous human presence.

posted 09-28-2024 12:44 PM               

Crew-9 lifts off for space station

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, flying aboard SpaceX's Crew Dragon "Freedom" are now on their way to the International Space Station, having launched from Florida on Saturday (Sept. 28).

Their liftoff atop a Falcon 9 rocket, at 1:17 p.m. EDT (1717 GMT), marked the first human spaceflight to fly from Space Launch Complex-40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. Hague is the first active member of the Space Force to launch from a Space Force pad.

Dragon "Freedom" is expected to autonomously dock to the forward-facing port of the space station's Harmony module at 5:30 p.m. EDT (2130 GMT) on Sunday to begin an approximate five-month science mission as members of the ISS Expedition 72 crew.

This is Hague's second spaceflight and Gorbunov's first. After surviving an in-flight abort aboard Russia's Soyuz MS-10 spacecraft in 2018, Hague successfully reached the ISS aboard Soyuz MS-12 and served on the Expedition 59 and 60 crews in 2019, logging 203 days in space.

This is the ninth crew rotation mission and the tenth human spaceflight for NASA to the space station supported by Dragon since 2020 as part of the agency's Commercial Crew Program. Hague and Gorbunov will return to Earth in February 2025 with NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who arrived aboard the space station on Boeing's Starliner Crew Flight Test in June.

"Freedom" previously flew the Crew-4, Axiom-2 (Ax-2) and Ax-3 missions to and from the space station. This mission's Falcon 9 first stage, which returned to Landing Zone 1 (LZ-1) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, previously launched Starlink satellites (Group 10-5).

posted 09-29-2024 04:41 PM               

Dragon Freedom docks to space station

NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov arrived at the International Space Station on Sunday (Sept. 29), as the SpaceX Dragon, named Freedom, docked to the complex at 5:30 p.m. EDT (2130 GMT) while the space station was flying over Botswana, Africa.

Following Dragon's link up to forward-facing port on the Harmony module, the astronauts aboard the Dragon and the space station began conducting standard leak checks and pressurization between the spacecraft in preparation for hatch opening.

posted 11-03-2024 08:40 AM               

Crew-9 relocates Dragon Freedom

Crew-9 astronauts Nick Hague, Aleksandr Gorbunov, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore boarded their SpaceX Dragon spacecraft "Freedom" on Sunday (Nov. 3) to fly it to a different port on the International Space Station in preparation for the arrival of SpaceX's 31st commercial resupply services (CRS-31) delivery.

Freedom undocked from the forward-facing port of the station's Harmony module at 6:35 a.m. EST (1135 GMT) and autonomously redocked with the space-facing port on the same node at 7:25 a.m. EST (1235 GMT).

This was the fifth port relocation of a Dragon spacecraft with crew aboard following previous moves during the Crew-1, Crew-2, Crew-6, and Crew-8 missions.

posted 11-08-2024 01:51 PM               

Dragon boosts station for first time

SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft performed its first demonstration of reboost capabilities for the International Space Station on Friday (Nov. 8) at 12:50 p.m. EST (1750 GMT). The spacecraft's Draco thrusters adjusted the station's orbit through a reboost of altitude by 7/100 of a mile at apogee and 7/10 of a mile at perigee, lasting approximately 12 minutes and 30 seconds.

By testing the Dragon's ability to provide reboost and, eventually, attitude control, the International Space Station Program will have multiple spacecraft available to provide these capabilities for the orbital complex. Currently, Roscosmos' Progress and Northrop Grumman's Cygnus spacecraft also provide reboosts for the space station.