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The two Boeing Starliner astronauts who have been stranded in space for 80 days will stay in space for another six months, NASA officials announced Saturday. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are now expected to return to Earth in February, while the Starliner will be brought back unmanned. Veteran astronauts Wilmore and Williams launched aboard Boeing’s Starliner back on June 5 — the maiden crewed voyage for the spacecraft — for what was supposed to be an eight-day mission docked to the International Space Station. The test flight, however, encountered thruster failures and helium leaks so serious that NASA...

'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...

SpaceX has delayed this month's Crew-9 astronaut launch to Sept. 24, to accommodate a traffic jam at the International Space Station as Boeing's Starliner remains stalled at the orbiting laboratory. SpaceX was scheduled to launch its ninth operational flight for NASA with four astronauts to the ISS on Aug. 18, before the space agency announced the delay Monday. "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. Boeing's new Starliner capsule launched June 5, with NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore...

The Boeing Starliner spacecraft approaching the ISS. @ NASA =================================================================================== It’s been nearly two months since Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) for its first crewed test flight. Despite several technical mishaps that have delayed Starliner’s return to Earth, NASA has continuously insisted that the vehicle is capable of carrying the crew back. Recent reports, however, suggest the space agency is looking at alternatives to bring two astronauts home safely. NASA officials are considering delaying the launch of SpaceX’s Crew 9 mission from August 18 to September 24, and putting two astronauts instead of four on...