On September 28, 2024, SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, carrying two astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS) while leaving two seats vacant for the return of American astronauts who had been stranded there for several months. This mission, known as Crew-9, was particularly significant as it marked the first use of a new launch pad for a crewed mission. NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov were on board the rocket, which took off at 1:17 PM local time. Their mission was to bring back Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who had been stuck on the ISS due to issues with their Boeing-designed Starliner spacecraft. Originally, Wilmore and Williams were expected to stay on the ISS for just eight days after arriving in June, but complications with the Starliner's propulsion system extended their stay significantly. NASA had to make a critical decision after extensive testing of the Starliner’s reliability, ultimately opting to return the spacecraft to Earth without its crew. This decision led to the unique arrangement of using the SpaceX mission to bring the stranded astronauts home. NASA associate administrator Jim Free acknowledged the unusual nature of this launch, expressing gratitude to SpaceX for their flexibility in accommodating the change. The Crew-9 mission had been delayed from mid-August to late September to allow for thorough evaluations of the Starliner, and further delays occurred due to Hurricane Helene impacting the Florida coast. The SpaceX Dragon vessel is scheduled to dock with the ISS shortly after the launch, facilitating a handover of duties before the return of the Crew-8 members on another SpaceX craft. In total, Hague and Gorbunov are expected to spend around five months on the ISS, while Wilmore and Williams will have spent eight months in space by the time they return. Throughout their time aboard the ISS, Crew-9 is set to conduct approximately 200 scientific experiments, contributing to ongoing research in space exploration.