SpaceX Launches Mission to Retrieve Stranded ISS Astronauts

After months of delays, SpaceX's Crew Dragon is en route to bring two astronauts back to Earth and deliver a new crew to the ISS.

NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Barry Wilmore have been stranded on the ISS since June 2024 due to technical failures with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.
Originally planned as an 8-day mission, their stay extended to nearly 10 months after the Starliner was deemed unsafe for a return trip and sent back to Earth empty.
SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched the Crew Dragon capsule from the Kennedy Space Center on Friday evening after a prior delay caused by hydraulic system issues.
The Crew Dragon mission, known as Crew 10, will also transport four new crew members to the ISS, replacing the current Crew 9 team who will return to Earth shortly after a handover period.
The delayed rescue highlights ongoing challenges in commercial spaceflight, particularly with reliability issues in Boeing's Starliner program.