NASA postpones SpaceX flight due to Boeing’s Starliner issues
NASA has postponed the departure of astronauts bound for the International Space Station (ISS) on a SpaceX flight due to ongoing issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. The Starliner, which transported two NASA astronauts to the ISS in early June, has been docked for the past two months due to propulsion system anomalies detected during its flight. The return date for this mission remains uncertain.
The SpaceX flight, originally scheduled to carry the next group of four ISS crew members, dubbed Crew-9, in mid-August, was intended to relieve the current foursome known as Crew-8. However, due to the stranding of the two additional astronauts, NASA has had to find an alternative way to bring them back to Earth.
Starliner anomalies impact Crew-9 mission
The Crew-9 flight is now scheduled to lift off no earlier than September 24 and could potentially bring back the two stranded astronauts along with two Crew-8 members, giving Boeing more time to address the issues with its spacecraft. “This adjustment allows more time…to finalize return planning for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test currently docked to the orbiting laboratory,” NASA stated in a blog post.
The Starliner, which also experienced helium leaks during its voyage, could return unmanned if the safety issues are not resolved. “NASA and Boeing continue to evaluate the spacecraft’s readiness, and no decisions have been made regarding Starliner’s return,” the post continued. NASA is planning a press conference on Wednesday to provide updates on both the Crew-9 mission and the Starliner spacecraft.