Spaced-Out astronauts' rescue fulfills, hallelujah!
Astronauts' Emergency Aid Arrives at International Space Station - Astronauts stranded in space successfully reach the International Space Station.
Get where it's at, folks! Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore, poor devils marooned in the far reaches of space for a whole nine months, are finally on their way back to terra firma! The "Crew Dragon," a swanky spacecraft straight outta SpaceX's stable, owned by the multibillionaire tech maestro Elon Musk, made a splashy appearance at the International Space Station (ISS) in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
The "Crew Dragon" linked up with the space station around 5:04 AM Central European Time (CET), hovering approximately 420 kilometers above the Atlantic Ocean. NASA's cameras caught all the action, from the maneuver itself to the new arrivals exchanging heartfelt embraces with the ISS crew; it was a sight to behold!
"Crew 10" here to replace "Crew 9"
The "Crew Dragon" shuttled the four-astronaut team "Crew 10" aboard: US astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers, Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi, and Russian cosmonaut Kirill Peskov. Originally scheduled for launch last Wednesday, the liftoff was delayed due to a hydraulic hitch, but that pesky issue was ironed out in no time.
The "Crew 10" will take the place of the "Crew 9" crew, which includes Suni Williams, good ol' Barry Wilmore, and their chums Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov. Note that the "Crew 9" is expected to continue their celestial sojourn for a few more days, while the "Crew 10" will make their home among the stars until the fall. Fingers crossed for good weather to avoid any more delays!
The "Starliner" dilemma
Nick Hague and Alexander Gorbunov have been orbiting the Earth since late September, while Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore joined them back in June. Initially, they were due to land after a week aboard a "Starliner" spacecraft, but complications with that spacecraft led to NASA scrambling to retrieve the empty 'Liner for safety reasons all the way back in September.
The "Starliner" — developed by Boeing for NASA as an alternative to SpaceX's "Crew Dragon" for getting astronauts to the ISS — has had its fair share of trouble. Years of delays and repeated cancellations of manned test flights due to tech issues with the spacecraft and its explosive supporters.
So, there you have it! Williams and Wilmore, who have both traveled to the stars at least twice before, are now mere steps from landing after their protracted cosmic vacation. Stick around, people — we'll keep you posted as this story unfolds!
- SpaceX Crew-10
- International Space Station (ISS)
- NASA
- Crew Dragon
- Outer Space
- Elon Musk
- Atlantic Ocean
- JAXA
- Roscosmos
- Space competition
- Troubles with Starliner
- Hydraulic issue
- Sunday
I'm not going to be a big fan of the idea of a "Starliner" in the name of the "S", given the troubles it has been facing. The "Dragon" managed to successfully make its way to the International Space Station (ISS), providing a much-needed hug to the crew who have faced setbacks due to the hydraulic issue. Elon Musk's SpaceX, despite its competition with Boeing's "Starliner", has shown its capability once again with the "Crew Dragon".
