Astronauts Prepare for Extended Stay on International Space Station #

Two astronauts who were initially scheduled for a weeklong journey on the International Space Station (ISS) are now facing a monthslong stay. Their return vehicle, a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule, is approaching the space station and is expected to dock soon.

The SpaceX vehicle, part of a mission called Crew-9, carries two crew members and two empty seats reserved for the astronauts who will be returning to Earth next year. The launch of Crew-9 took place from Florida, with the spacecraft reaching its intended orbit successfully.

However, after the launch, it was revealed that the second stage of the rocket experienced an issue after separating from the capsule. The company stated that the second stage landed safely in the ocean but outside the targeted area. As a result, flights using this type of rocket will be paused while the anomaly is investigated.

The Crew Dragon capsule has been traveling through orbit for about a day as it prepares to dock with the ISS. Once attached, the new crew members will join the other astronauts already on board the orbiting laboratory.

The extended stay for the two astronauts was necessitated by issues with their original spacecraft, a Boeing Starliner. Problems with helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters led to the decision not to use the Starliner for their return journey. Instead, NASA rearranged flight plans to accommodate them on the SpaceX mission.

This change meant that two other astronauts originally scheduled for the Crew-9 mission were removed to make room for the Starliner team. The rearranged crew will now spend about five months on board the space station before returning home, currently scheduled for no earlier than February.

Both astronauts facing the extended stay have expressed their ability to adjust to the longer mission, with one noting that the microgravity environment is their “happy place.”

The current staff on the ISS includes astronauts from NASA and cosmonauts from the Russian space agency, who arrived on various vehicles as part of ongoing international cooperation in space exploration.