The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has announced a one-month postponement of the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), pushing the launch date to September 24th. This decision stems from the ongoing evaluation of Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft’s readiness for its return from the ISS.
The Starliner capsule, which delivered two NASA astronauts – Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore – to the ISS on June 6th, has faced delays due to anomalies discovered in its propulsion system during its flight. Initially expected to return by mid-June, the Starliner has now spent two months in space, with its return date remaining uncertain.
The delay in the Starliner’s return has directly impacted the Crew-9 launch, as there are limited docking ports available at the ISS. With both the Starliner and the Crew-8’s Dragon spacecraft still docked, there isn’t enough space for Crew-9.
The postponement allows for more time to analyze the results of recent Starliner hot-fire testing, finalize flight rationale for the spacecraft’s integrated propulsion system, and confirm system reliability ahead of its return to Earth. It also provides an opportunity to potentially bring back only two Crew-8 members along with the two Starliner astronauts, freeing up a docking port for the Crew-9 mission.
The Starliner, which has also experienced helium leaks during its voyage, could potentially return unmanned if safety concerns remain unresolved. NASA is planning a press conference on Wednesday to provide updates on both Crew-9 and the Starliner spacecraft.
