NASA has announced changes to its Crew-9 mission, which will now launch to the International Space Station (ISS) with only two astronauts: NASA’s Nick Hague and Roscosmos’ Aleksandr Gorbunov. The mission, originally planned for a larger crew, is scheduled for launch no earlier than September 24th. Its new objective includes bringing home astronauts Barry Wilmore and Sunita Williams, who have been stranded at the ISS due to delays with Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft.
Wilmore and Williams, who arrived at the ISS in June, were initially expected to stay for just one week to conduct tests. However, persistent issues with helium leaks and valve malfunctions on the Starliner delayed their return. NASA ultimately decided to forego bringing them back on the Starliner, opting instead to return them to Earth aboard SpaceX’s Dragon capsule with the Crew-9 mission.
NASA also confirmed that Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson, the two U.S. astronauts originally slated for the Crew-9 mission, will be reassigned to future missions. The reason for the crew reduction was not specified, though NASA noted that the remaining Crew-9 members, Hague and Gorbunov, will still perform their original research tasks at the ISS during their stay.
“While we’ve had to adjust crew compositions in the past for various reasons, downsizing the Crew-9 mission was a difficult decision,” said NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba. “Nevertheless, I have full confidence in our team, who have been exemplary throughout the training process.”
Meanwhile, Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft, which has faced multiple delays, is scheduled to autonomously undock from the ISS on September 6th at 6:04 PM. Although no crew members will be aboard, ground teams are prepared to remotely command the spacecraft if necessary. The Starliner is expected to land at New Mexico’s White Sands Space Harbor approximately six hours after undocking.
