By the time Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams return to Earth they will have logged more than eight months in space. Their original mission was due to last for a week.

Two astronauts were launched on a five-month mission that also hopes to rescue two NASA astronauts left behind on the ISS. The four are expected to return to Earth in February.

Space Launch Complex 40 is located just south of Kennedy Space Center. Once the Crew-9 duo launched, the Falcon 9 rocket traveled on a northeast trajectory, carrying their SpaceX Dragon, named Freedom, on a path to meet up with the International Space Station.