Solely two astronauts will launch on NASA’s upcoming SpaceX Crew-9 mission as an alternative of 4 to accommodate the 2 astronauts who arrived on the station aboard Boeing’s BA Starliner spacecraft, the area company stated on Friday.
What Occurred: NASA astronaut Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will launch on the SpaceX Crew 9 mission to the Worldwide Area Station (ISS) no sooner than Sept. 24 on a four-seat SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore, who’re at the moment on the station, will be a part of Hague and Gorbunov on their return journey to Earth in February 2025, the company stated.
NASA astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, who had been beforehand slated to fly on crew 9, will now be reassigned to a future mission, NASA added.
“Whereas we have modified crew earlier than for quite a lot of causes, downsizing crew for this flight was one other robust determination to regulate to on condition that the crew has educated as a crew of 4,” NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba stated.
Why It Issues: Williams and Wilmore launched into area on June 5 aboard Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Although the 2 had been purported to return in about eight days, technical points had been recognized with the spacecraft whereas docking delayed the return journey. NASA company subsequently determined to scrap the plan to convey the astronauts again on the Boeing spacecraft altogether.
Starliner will now undock from the area station as early as Sept. 6 and return to Earth and not using a crew.
Try extra of Benzinga’s Future Of Mobility protection by following this hyperlink.
Learn Extra:
Picture courtesy: Shutterstock
Market Information and Information dropped at you by Benzinga APIs
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga doesn’t present funding recommendation. All rights reserved.