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SpaceX's Crew-9 astronaut launch delayed to Sept. 24 due to Boeing Starliner issues
Space.com ^ | August 6, 2024 | Mike Wall

Posted on 08/07/2024 5:19:28 AM PDT by Red Badger

'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.'

==================================================================

SpaceX's next astronaut mission won't get off the ground this month after all.

Crew-9, SpaceX's ninth operational flight to the International Space Station (ISS) for NASA, had been targeted to lift off on Aug. 18. But it has been pushed back to no earlier than Sept. 24, the agency announced today (Aug. 6).

"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 said in an update this afternoon.

Crew Flight Test (CFT) is the first-ever astronaut mission of Boeing's new Starliner capsule. It launched June 5, carrying NASA's Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore to the ISS for a planned weeklong stay.

Starliner is still up there, however. The capsule experienced several issues on its way to the orbiting lab — most notably, the failure of five of its 28 reaction control system thrusters. CFT team members have been studying the problem ever since, trying to determine if and when Starliner can safely return Williams and Wilmore to Earth.

That work is still underway.

"NASA and Boeing continue to evaluate the spacecraft's readiness, and no decisions have been made regarding Starliner's return," NASA officials said in today's update.

We may get more clarity on Wednesday (Aug. 7): NASA will hold a press conference at 12:30 p.m. EDT (1630 GMT) "with agency leadership to discuss ongoing operations, including NASA's Crew-9, Crew-8, and Crew Flight Test missions."

SpaceX's Crew-8 flight is gearing up to return to Earth; it arrived at the ISS in early March, delivering four astronauts to the orbiting lab for a roughly six-month stay.

The Crew-9 astronauts are commander Zena Cardman, pilot Nick Hague, mission specialist Stephanie Wilson and mission specialist Alexsandr Gorbunov. Cardman, Hague and Wilson are NASA astronauts, whereas Gorbunov represents Russia's space agency, Roscosmos.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Health/Medicine; History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: alexsandrgorbunov; boeing; butchwilmore; cft; crew9; crewflighttest; iss; mikewall; nasa; nickhague; spacex; starliner; stephaniewilson; suniwilliams; zenacardman
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1 posted on 08/07/2024 5:19:28 AM PDT by Red Badger
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To: Red Badger
Boeing - a once-proud aviation pioneer and innovator, now slouched over and stumbling about like a drunk.

That's just damned sad.

Side note: we have a Prayer Group in our company (a Boeing competitor), that meets once a week to lift our company up in prayer, and we have begun praying fervently for Boeing - her collapse is bad for our industry and our country,

2 posted on 08/07/2024 5:24:47 AM PDT by Psalm 73 ("You'll never hear surf music again" - J. Hendrix)
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To: Red Badger

Only so many holes to dock with.


3 posted on 08/07/2024 5:25:37 AM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)
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To: Red Badger

How’s that focus on moozlum outreach working for NASA? That and DEI are really a winning combination apparently. NASA has become a job’s program with accompanying expected results.


4 posted on 08/07/2024 5:26:19 AM PDT by hal ogen (First Amendment or Reeducation Camp??)
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To: rktman

That’s my whole life story right there...................😏


5 posted on 08/07/2024 5:27:32 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: Red Badger

Put them in spacesuits(if they have working ones) and let them come back on a cargo dragon


6 posted on 08/07/2024 5:27:42 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: Red Badger

A traffic jam in space...SMH


7 posted on 08/07/2024 5:29:35 AM PDT by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
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To: Red Badger

I dunno. Occupying a docking bay for three months... What are they going to learn about Starliner’s condition and exploring solutions for a safe return that they haven’t learned already? Why not bring the Starliner back to earth and study its remains here? Then contract with SpaceX (or the Russians or whoever can) to bring the crew home safely?


8 posted on 08/07/2024 5:30:59 AM PDT by BradyLS (DO NOT FEED THE BEARS!)
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To: Red Badger

This crew may end up beating the space time record of 437 days... Like... Awesome for them... They get to hangout in space.


9 posted on 08/07/2024 5:31:24 AM PDT by jerod (Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
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To: BradyLS

The longer Starliner stays the worst it will get


10 posted on 08/07/2024 5:32:56 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: Red Badger

Incredible. Can’t they hitch a ride with Crew 8 returning soon? That sounds like a full house already but good grief, make room for them. I would have gone stir crazy long before now...


11 posted on 08/07/2024 5:35:04 AM PDT by Thank You Rush
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To: butlerweave

The reports yesterday are that the capsule not only cannot return unmanned, but cannot be detached from the space station unless there is a crew member inside at the controls

The situation boils down to an engineering quandry......


12 posted on 08/07/2024 5:36:10 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. +12) Where is ZORRO when California so desperately needs him?)
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To: butlerweave

StarSquatter - Cause Diversity!


13 posted on 08/07/2024 5:36:15 AM PDT by Theophilus (covfefe)
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To: BradyLS

Why not bring the Starliner back to earth and study its remains here?


I think that’s the problem.

They can‘t. The Boeing junk ain’t going. It’s broke, Jim.


14 posted on 08/07/2024 5:37:11 AM PDT by Jane Long (The role of the GOP: to write sharply-worded letters as America becomes a communist hell-hole.)
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To: Thank You Rush

There’s still the question of what to do with the Boeing craft.

It can’t un-dock itself. It has to have a person onboard to initiate the controls.

SpaceX can’t arrive until it’s gone......................


15 posted on 08/07/2024 5:37:28 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: bert

SpaceX will get a de-orbit contract for Starliner as well ?


16 posted on 08/07/2024 5:37:40 AM PDT by butlerweave
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To: Red Badger

The astronauts should hold out for a safer ride home. Down is the hard part.


17 posted on 08/07/2024 5:37:56 AM PDT by Empire_of_Liberty
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To: Red Badger

😂👍


18 posted on 08/07/2024 5:39:07 AM PDT by rktman (Destroy America from within? Check! WTH? Enlisted USN 1967 to end up with this💩? 🚫💉! 🇮🇱👍!)
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To: Empire_of_Liberty

Send up 250 miles of rope.....................


19 posted on 08/07/2024 5:44:32 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
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To: butlerweave

I don’t know.

What I think I know is that there is far more going on here than meets the eye


20 posted on 08/07/2024 5:46:50 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. +12) Where is ZORRO when California so desperately needs him?)
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