NASA Chief Will Make The Final Decision On How Starliner Crew Flies Home

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NASA on Tuesday confirmed that it is delaying the launch of its next astronaut mission to the International Space Station, Crew 9, until at least September 24. This is a significant slip from the previous date of August 18.

The space agency said the delay was necessary for "operational flexibility" as it continues to deliberate on the viability of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. In the release, NASA stated, "This adjustment allows more time for mission managers to finalize return planning for the agency's Boeing Crew Flight Test currently docked to the orbiting laboratory."

NASA also cited other reasons for the delay, including a deconfliction of traffic at the space station, such as a Soyuz launch scheduled for mid-September.

The announcement follows more than a day after Ars initially reported that the launch would slip to no earlier than September 24 to account for issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which has been docked to the International Space Station for two months. Initially Starliner's crew test flight was supposed to be an eight-day mission, but NASA and Boeing engineers have been evaluating some faulty thrusters observed during the trip to the orbiting laboratory.

The delay gives NASA more time to determine the flightworthiness of Starliner and whether it is safe to bring its two crew members, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, home. However, as Ars reported Monday, there is another reason for the delay—the need to update Starliner's flight software should an autonomous undocking be preferred.

The NASA news release is silent on this issue, but a news conference scheduled for 12:30 pm ET on Wednesday will offer reporters an opportunity to ask questions about the capability of Starliner to fly back to Earth without crew members on board the vehicle. The release also did not specify whether two or four astronauts will launch inside the Crew 9 spacecraft. It is likely NASA has not made this decision yet.