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Astronaut bumped from rocket emotionally watches launch from ground

By Nick Papantonis, WFTV.com

SpaceX Stuck Astronauts Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, left, and NASA astronaut Nick Hague leave the Operations and Checkout Building on their way to Launch Complex 40 for a mission to the International Space Station Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 at Cape Canaveral, Fla., (AP Photo/John Raoux) (John Raoux/AP)

By Nick Papantonis, WFTV.com

BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — It was a big day for SpaceX as the private company successfully launched its Crew-9 mission into space.

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Despite concerns about the weather, two astronauts — American Nick Hague and Russian Aleksandr Gorbunov -- made it into orbit shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday.

However, two other astronauts were left on the ground after being bumped from the mission to make room for Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the Starliner test pilots forced to remain on the ISS after their capsule was deemed too risky to land in.

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Externally, Stephanie Wilson remained upbeat as she spoke about her final conversation with the two men she trained with for a year and a half.

“They’re launching as a crew of two, but we will always be a crew that has trained together and will always be friends and colleagues.” Wilson, who has been to space three times, said.

However, Crew-9 was supposed to be Zena Cardman’s first trip into orbit.

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From the grass press site at Kennedy Space Center, Cardman watched her rocket lift off without her, at times visibly emotional and receiving hugs from her NASA and SpaceX team members standing with her.

Cardman shared her thoughts with NASA TV a half hour after returning to the broadcast booth.

“It was hard not to watch that rocket lift off without thinking that’s my rocket and that’s my crew,” she said.

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However, she returned to the positive side of thinking by referencing the number of people that work behind the scenes to get a launch off the ground.

“I am one of many people who are proud to say that’s my rocket and that’s my crew,” she explained.

Both Wilson and Cardman have been verbally promised seats on future missions.

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