A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched Saturday carrying an empty Dragon spacecraft that will return home two NASA astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who have been stranded at the International Space Station for months due to issues with Boeing's Starliner capsule.
SpaceX launched a rocket Saturday that will bring home two NASA astronauts that have been stranded at the International Space Station for months. The SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft launched at 1:17 p.m. ET with two empty seats, saving room to bring home Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams.
NASA deemed the capsule too risky to fly home carrying the two astronauts. In August, officials announced Wilmore and Williams were safe to stay on the International Space Station and would return early next year aboard empty seats on the SpaceX Dragon capsule that launched on Sept. 28, 2024. The Starliner returned to earth unmanned on Sept. 7. RELATED: Stranded astronauts to vote in 2024 election from space while awaiting ride homeSpaceX’s Dragon capsule is configured to carry four people.
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