The upcoming SpaceX Crew-9 mission for NASA was originally scheduled to launch on August 18. However, the agency has announced that the target launch date has been postponed at least until September 24. This delay will provide NASA and Boeing more time to address the issues with the Starliner spacecraft.
The situation is that a maximum of eight spacecraft can dock with the ISS at the same time. However, the American segment of the space station has only two docking ports available for crewed capsules. Both of these ports are still occupied, as the planned 8-day stay of Starliner at the ISS has extended to several months due to technical difficulties.
NASA has stated that ground teams for Starliner are still analyzing the results of all the tests they have conducted, including a recent static fire test. Experts still need to confirm whether the capsule is ready to bring astronauts Bouche Wilmore and Sunita Williams back from the ISS to Earth before this flight can be scheduled.
Boeing's first crewed Starliner mission launched in June and was supposed to last just a few days to determine if the capsule was ready for regular missions to the ISS. It turned out that it was not. Five engines failed during the approach to the station, and only one was successfully restored to operation. Additionally, a helium leak issue arose, prompting Boeing and NASA to postpone the departure, and the situation has worsened over time.
In a statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Boeing indicated that it incurred an additional $125 million in losses due to the delayed return of Starliner and the extensive testing required to confirm the spacecraft's readiness. A few days ago, the company stated that it supports NASA's requests for further tests and "remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to safely return with a crew."
Source: engadget
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