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The launch of SpaceX’s Crew-9 mission, an endeavor planned to ferry four astronauts to the International Space Station — which could also serve as a backup vehicle for the crew assigned to Boeing’s troubled Starliner spacecraft — will be delayed, NASA announced Tuesday.
The space agency said the move “allows more time for mission managers to finalize return planning” for the Starliner and its crew, according to a written update from the space agency. NASA will host a news conference on the change Wednesday at 12:30 pm ET.
The brief NASA update lands as rumors swirl about the fate of the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which has remained attached to the space station for roughly seven weeks longer than expected, leaving its two crewmembers — veteran NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams — in limbo aboard the orbiting laboratory.
It also makes clear that the Starliner crewed test flight and SpaceX Crew-9 missions will not play out exactly as officials publicly mapped out in late July.
That’s when NASA said SpaceX could launch its Crew-9 mission as soon as August 18 — likely after Williams and Wilmore returned to Earth aboard Starliner.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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