NASA to Replace Crew Members for SpaceX Flight Amid Starliner Issues
In a major shakeup, NASA announced on Friday that two crew members will be replaced for an upcoming SpaceX flight due to issues with Boeing's Starliner capsule. Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, former military test pilots who arrived on the ISS via Starliner in June, will now take the place of Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson on the SpaceX mission.
NASA deemed the propulsion system issues on Starliner too risky to bring the first crew home as planned, dealing a blow to Boeing's space program. As a result, SpaceX's Crew Dragon mission, originally scheduled for Aug. 18, has been rescheduled for "no earlier than" Sept. 24.
Cardman and Wilson could still be reassigned to future missions, while Nick Hague and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov will stay on the crew and return with Wilmore and Williams in February 2025. Hague will step up as commander, with Gorbunov remaining as mission specialist.
This decision to turn to SpaceX instead of Boeing for the return of astronauts is a significant setback for the American planemaker. Boeing had hoped the success of the Starliner test mission would redeem its troubled program after years of challenges.
In conclusion, the change in crew members for the SpaceX flight highlights the ongoing competition and challenges in the space industry. Investors should keep an eye on developments in both Boeing and SpaceX, as these decisions can have long-term implications for their financial portfolios.