A SpaceX mission to the International Space Station has been delayed by a month as Nasa and Boeing continue to work out how it will bring two astronauts stuck at the station back home.
The SpaceX Crew-9 launch was initially scheduled for mid-August. Nasa now says the mission will be launched after September 24.
“This adjustment allows more time for mission managers to finalize reentry planning for the agency’s Boeing Crew flight test currently docked at the orbiting laboratory,” Nasa said in a statement.
The agency said Nasa and Boeing engineers “took their time” to analyze recent tests, finalize flight rationale and “confirm system reliability prior to Starliner’s return to Earth”.
“No decisions have been made regarding Starliner’s return,” the agency said.
Boeing’s Starliner was launched on June 5 with two astronauts, Sunita Williams and Barry Wilmore, on board. The mission – the first crewed flight for the Starliner – was supposed to last about eight days, but has now run nearly eight weeks over schedule.
Boeing said in July that after rigorous ground tests, engineers had identified problems inside the Starliner, including the sudden malfunction of thrusters and helium leaks.
On August 2 statementThe company said its “confidence remains high in Starliner’s return with crew”.
Recently reports suggested there is more behind-the-scenes conflict between Nasa and Boeing leaders. Some of the agency’s leaders seem to question whether the Starliner should bring back Williams and Wilmore. The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday that Nasa could involve SpaceX in backup plans to bring the astronauts back.
Boeing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Space experts tell the Guardian it was not unusual or unexpected for an experimental space flight to develop problems.
“It’s defined as a test mission, it’s called a manned test flight, and one of its things is to deal with unplanned issues,” said Jerry Stone, senior associate of the Space Study institute and author of One Small Step.
But the stakes are high for Boeing, which has been battling a PR crisis over its planes in recent years.
At the company’s final press conference about the Starliner, Mark Nappi, Boeing’s commercial crew program manager, said he regretted being so “stressed” about how the mission would only last eight days.
“I regret that we didn’t just say we were going to stay up there until we did everything we wanted to do,” said Nappi.
Nasa is expected to hold a press conference on Wednesday afternoon, the first since July 25.
