NASA is delaying its next astronaut launch to buy more time at the International Space Station for Boeing’s troubled new crew capsule.
The space agency said Tuesday it’s bumping SpaceX’s four-person flight from this month to next. It’s now targeted for Sept. 24 at the earliest. Officials said that will give them more time to analyze thruster and leak problems that hit Boeing’s Starliner capsule after its June liftoff, its first with a crew on board.
Tuesday marked the two-month point at the space station for Starliner’s test pilots, Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, who should have been back by mid-June. NASA is weighing all its options for returning the two veteran astronauts, including a ride home in a SpaceX capsule.
Also political considerations. If Boeing fails to bring the astronauts home then there will be likely many many test that need to be passed before they get another crewed mission contract. They are already +$1B in the hole because of past problems. It might be that they could not afford to continue with their space program. A loss for Boeing, a loss for NASA diversity.
Logically just burning up the capsule makes sense but the fall out likely has multi multi billions of dollars in the balance.
I just hope they’re not going to gamble with the astronauts lives in the process. Oh, who am I kidding, it’s Boeing, of course they are.