SpaceX’s long-awaited Crew 9 astronaut mission has been delayed until September 24, 2024, due to ongoing technical issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft. Originally scheduled for August 18, Crew 9’s launch has been delayed to give NASA more time to resolve challenges with the Boeing Crew Flight Test (CFT) currently docked at the International Space Station (ISS).
The delay comes as NASA and Boeing work to resolve issues with the Starliner capsule, which launched June 5 with NASA astronauts Sunita Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore to the ISS. The spacecraft was originally scheduled to stay in orbit for a week, but has remained docked due to several technical issues, including the failure of five of its 28 reaction control system thrusters. These thrusters are critical to the spacecraft’s maneuvering capabilities, and their failure has led to extensive evaluations to ensure the astronauts’ safe return to Earth.
“This adjustment gives mission managers more time to finalize planning for the return of the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, which is currently attached to the space laboratory,” NASA said in an update on Aug. 6. The CFT mission is Boeing’s first-ever astronaut mission using the Starliner capsule, and its success is critical to the future of Boeing’s commercial crew program.
The Crew-9 mission will carry a diverse team of astronauts to the ISS, including NASA’s Zena Cardman, Nick Hague, Stephanie Wilson and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexsandr Gorbunov. As SpaceX’s ninth operational crewed flight to the ISS for NASA, the Crew-9 mission is critical to maintaining a continuous human presence on the space station.
Meanwhile, NASA’s Crew-8 mission is preparing to return to Earth after a six-month stay on the ISS. The Crew-8 astronauts, who arrived in early March, have been performing a variety of science experiments and maintenance tasks as part of their mission.
The delay of Crew-9 underscores the complex nature of space exploration, where precise planning and safety are paramount.
