ISTANBUL

SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Sunday, carrying NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Russian cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov.

The mission comes as SpaceX pauses its Falcon 9 launches to investigate an upper-stage anomaly that occurred during a flight on Saturday, resulting in an off-target re-entry over the Pacific Ocean.

SpaceX reported that "the second stage experienced an off-nominal deorbit burn," which led to a safe but unintended landing in the ocean.

The company emphasized, "We will resume launching after we better understand the root cause," highlighting its commitment to safety and thorough investigation.

Despite the setback, Hague and Gorbunov joined Starliner astronauts Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita Williams for a five-month mission aboard the ISS.

Wilmore and Williams faced challenges during their flight, including multiple helium leaks in their propulsion system, which prompted NASA to keep them aboard the ISS for safety until they could return on Crew Dragon.

Their arrival marked a seamless transition, occurring 28 hours after launch.

The incident follows two other recent issues with the Falcon 9, raising concerns about upcoming launches for NASA and the European Space Agency, including the Hera asteroid probe and the Europa Clipper mission.

As investigations continue, the focus remains on resolving the latest anomaly to ensure timely launches within critical planetary windows.