NASA Delays SpaceX Launch to Assess Boeing Starliner Issues

NASA postponed a SpaceX crew launch to the International Space Station from August to September to further analyze problems with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. The Starliner, currently docked at the ISS, has faced multiple issues that need resolution before it can safely return its crew to Earth.

NASA announced on Tuesday the delay of a routine SpaceX launch of astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS), pushing it back by a month to address concerns with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft. This mission, named Crew-9 and initially set for launch on Aug. 18, has now been rescheduled for no earlier than Sept. 24.

According to NASA, the delay provides additional time for mission managers to finalize plans for the return of Boeing's Crew Flight Test, currently docked at the ISS. The Starliner, which launched its first two astronauts to the ISS in June as part of a critical test mission, has encountered several propulsion system issues, extending what was supposed to be an eight-day mission.

The unresolved problems with Starliner have raised doubts about its ability to safely return its crew, NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, to Earth. While NASA has yet to decide on Starliner's return, the mission delays have cost Boeing $125 million, adding to the company's total loss of $1.6 billion on the program since 2016 as it strives to compete with SpaceX's Crew Dragon.

(With inputs from agencies.)