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SpaceX launches rescue mission to return stranded astronauts

A SpaceX rocket took off Saturday with two passengers on board, leaving two seats empty for the return of American astronauts who have been stuck for months on the ISS.

On board were NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov.

When they return from the space station in February, they will bring in two space veterans - Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose stay on the ISS has been extended for several months due to problems with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft.

The newly developed Starliner was making its first crewed flight when it delivered Wilmore and Williams to the ISS in June.
They were only supposed to stay there for eight days, but after problems with the Starliner propulsion system during the flight, NASA was forced to weigh in on a radical change of plans and they would return on the SpaceX Crew-9 spacecraft.