To buy some more time at the International Space Station (ISS) for the Boeing Starliner crew - Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams - which has been unable to return to earth due to leak problems in the capsule, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is reportedly delaying its next astronaut launch.
NASA said on Tuesday it is shifting SpaceX's four-person flight from this month to the next, with a targeted for September 24 at the earliest. Officials said that will give them more time to analyze thruster and leak problems that hit Boeing's Starliner capsule after its June liftoff, its first with a crew on board, according to an Associated Press (AP) report.
“NASA and Boeing continue to evaluate the spacecraft's readiness, and no decisions have been made regarding Starliner's return,” NASA said in a statement. Further details were expected at a news conference set for Wednesday.
Tuesday, August 6, marked the two-month point at the space station for Starliner's test pilots, Barry 'Butch' Wilmore and Sunita (Suni) Williams, who should have been back by mid-June. NASA is assessing all its options for the safe return of the two astronauts, including a ride home in a SpaceX capsule.
All Docking Ports At ISS Occupied
Only two docking ports at the space station can accommodate US astronaut capsules and both are occupied at present. One will need to be vacated before the next SpaceX crew can arrive.
Russia has its own parking places for its Soyuz capsules.
With the latest setback, the four astronauts who flew up with SpaceX in March now also face a longer mission than planned.
Over the past several weeks, Boeing has conducted thruster test firings on the ground as well as in space to better understand why five thrusters failed ahead of Starliner's June 6 arrival at the space station. Barring one, all came back online, the AP report mentioned.
Helium leaks in the capsule's propulsion system also cropped up.
Citing the testing, the company late last week said: “Boeing remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew.”
Boeing and SpaceX topped NASA's list for astronaut taxi service to and from the space station after the shuttles retired in 2011. NASA signed contracts worth billions with both companies to have a backup in case one of them got sidelined by an accident.
SpaceX launched its first crew in 2020 and the upcoming flight will be its 10th astronaut flight for NASA. SpaceX also sent a few private crews into orbit.
