The launch was delayed due to the approaching tropical storm Helene.
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched on Saturday from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying the Crew Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The spacecraft will transport American astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov to the International Space Station (ISS), according to AFP and DPA reports.
Originally scheduled for Thursday, the launch was postponed due to the approaching tropical storm Helene. The rocket eventually launched on Saturday at 19:17 CEST.
Crew Dragon is expected to dock with the ISS on Sunday around 23:30 CEST. Astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson were originally slated for this mission but had to give up their spots for colleagues Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore. The pair have been stranded on the ISS due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft.
Williams and Wilmore have been aboard the ISS since June and were initially supposed to stay for only eight days. However, due to unexpected technical problems with Starliner, NASA decided to return the spacecraft to Earth empty, extending their stay on the ISS until February 2025.
