NASA is delaying the next launch of the SpaceX crew due to ongoing problems with the Starliner

SpaceX’s Crew-9 flight for NASA was supposed to take off on August 18, but the agency recently announced that the target date of the launch has been moved to September 24. The delay will give NASA and Boeing more time to finalize their plans. The return of the Boeing Starliner, the agency said in its announcement. What he didn’t mention is that while eight spacecraft can dock to the ISS at once, the US portion of the space station only has two docking bays that can accommodate astronaut capsules. Both are still busy, as the Starliner’s alleged eight-day stay has dragged on for months.

NASA said Starliner crews are still analyzing the results of all the spacecraft’s tests, including the latest hot-fire test. They still need to confirm whether it is ready to return astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams to Earth before a return flight is planned. Boeing’s first Starliner mission was launched in June and was due to sit for several days to determine if it was ready for regular flights to the station. However, five of its thrusters failed on their approach to the ISS, and only one came back online. The helium leak that forced Boeing and NASA to postpone their previous takeoffs also took a turn for the worse.

In a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, Boeing revealed that it took an additional $125 million in losses due to the delay in the return of the Starliner and the extensive testing that had to be done to ensure its readiness. The company said a few days ago that it supports NASA’s requests for more tests and that it “remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew.”