NASA Postpones Routine SpaceX Launch to Allow for Time to Analyze Boeing Starliner Issues

The United States space agency NASA has announced that it has pushed back the routine launch of astronauts on a SpaceX craft to the International Space Station (ISS) for a month, citing the need for extra time to resolve issues with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which remains docked at the station.

The SpaceX mission, known as Crew-9, was initially slated to launch four astronauts to the ISS on August 18. However, NASA has shifted the launch to “no earlier than” September 24 to permit mission managers to finalize return planning for the agency’s Boeing Crew Flight Test, which is currently parked at the ISS.

The delay is attributed to numerous problems with the propulsion system of the Starliner spacecraft, which was meant to be tested before it could carry astronauts on routine flights to and from the ISS. Initially expected to stay at the station for eight days, the mission has been prolonged by more than five times that amount as experts scramble to find a solution.

The lingering issues have raised questions about Starliner’s capacity to safely return to Earth its two onboard astronauts, Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams. As a precaution, NASA is examining whether a Crew Dragon spacecraft will be required to retrieve the astronauts.

A NASA statement said, “No decisions have been made regarding Starliner’s return.”

The financial burden of the Starliner’s delay is substantial. According to securities filings, the misadventure has cost Boeing an additional $125 million (approximately ₹1,049 crore). Since 2016, the company’s losses on the Starliner program have amassed to a whopping $1.6 billion (approximately ₹13,430 crore), further underscoring the challenge faced by the aerospace giant in creating a spacecraft that can keep pace with the more experienced and efficient Crew Dragon developed by its rival SpaceX.