SpaceX launched a rescue mission for the two astronauts stranded at the International Space Station, sending a downsized crew to bring them home next year. The capsule rocketed into orbit to retrieve the test pilots left behind by a Boeing spacecraft due to safety concerns. NASA's Nick Hague and Russia's Alexander Gorbunov will be brought back by the newly launched flight, which won't return until late February.
Due to NASA's crew rotation schedule, the returning astronauts will have spent over eight months in space, far exceeding their initial one-week mission. Boeing's Starliner faced technical issues, prompting NASA to switch to SpaceX for the rescue mission. The liftoff was watched by the stranded astronauts via a live link, with cheers of 'Go Dragon!' echoing through the space station.
