Produced by: Tarun Mishra
NASA and SpaceX are preparing to launch the Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS), targeting a launch date of no earlier than August 18. This will be the ninth crew rotation mission under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
The Crew-9 mission will transport NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, Nick Hague, Stephanie Wilson, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexander Gorbunov to the ISS aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.
Currently, NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and astronaut Butch Wilmore remain aboard the ISS due to technical problems with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft. The capsule, which docked with the ISS in June, has encountered thruster failures and helium leaks.
Engineers are conducting extensive testing and analysis to resolve the issues with the Starliner spacecraft. NASA's commercial crew program manager, Steve Stich, has indicated that a return date for Williams and Wilmore is not yet set.
NASA is considering alternative plans for the return of Williams and Wilmore, including the possibility of using a SpaceX Dragon capsule if the Starliner problems are not resolved in time.
The situation has created a logistical challenge at the ISS. ISS program manager Dana Weigel noted that the Starliner must be undocked first to free up a docking port for the incoming Crew-9 mission.
The upcoming Crew-9 launch follows the Federal Aviation Administration’s recent clearance for SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to resume flights after a mid-flight failure earlier this month.
Despite the Starliner issues, NASA remains focused on maintaining its schedule of crew rotations and scientific research aboard the ISS, with the Crew-9 mission set to bring new personnel and experiments to the space station.