SpaceX launches rescue mission to bring home stranded astronauts

A SpaceX rocket lifted off with two passengers on Saturday to retrieve two American astronauts who are stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) for several months, according to NASA.

The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1.17 p.m. (1717GMT), carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov to the ISS.

The mission, Crew-9, features two empty seats intended to return Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded on the ISS for months due to issues with their Boeing-designed Starliner spacecraft.

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

Wilmore and Williams, originally intended for an eight-day stay, had their mission extended after propulsion problems forced NASA to reconsider their return plans.

"We know that this launch is a bit unique in moving from the plan for crew members to two," noted NASA Associate Administrator Jim Free. "I do want to thank SpaceX for their support and flexibility."

Following intensive evaluations of the Starliner's reliability, the launch was postponed from mid-August to late September, further delayed by Hurricane Helene.

The SpaceX Dragon vessel is scheduled to dock with the ISS on Sunday at around 2130GMT, allowing for a handover of duties before the return trip.

In total, Crew-9 will conduct 200 scientific experiments during their five-month stay.