🚀 NASA hits pause on SpaceX's Crew-9 mission! 🌌
In a surprising turn, NASA announced on Tuesday that it's pushing back the launch of SpaceX's Crew-9 mission to the International Space Station (ISS) by about a month. Originally slated for August 18, the new launch date is now no earlier than September 24.
So, what's the deal? 🤔 It turns out NASA needs extra time to sort out some lingering issues with Boeing's Starliner spacecraft, which is still docked at the ISS. The Starliner was launched back in June on a super important test mission—a big step before Boeing can start regular astronaut flights. But persistent propulsion problems have kept it in space longer than expected.
This delay isn't just about dates on a calendar. It's all about safety and making sure that when astronauts hitch a ride, they're in good hands. The problems with Starliner have been so tricky that NASA is even thinking about using SpaceX's Crew Dragon to bring the Starliner crew back home! 🚀💫
Boeing's been having a tough time, too. The extended mission has cost them a whopping $125 million, adding up to a total of $1.6 billion in losses on the Starliner program since 2016. Ouch! 💸 They're still trying to catch up to SpaceX, whose Crew Dragon has been rocketing astronauts to space like a pro.
For all the space enthusiasts out there, this delay is a reminder that space travel is hard—like, really hard. But every setback is a setup for a comeback! 🌠 We'll be keeping our eyes on the skies for the next update. Stay tuned! 🔭
Reference(s):
NASA delays SpaceX Crew-9 mission to address Boeing Starliner issues
cgtn.com
