NASA has decided to delay the new launch of astronauts, while the crew that came there in a broken Boeing capsule is staying at the International Space Station for an unplanned long time, and officials say that the delay will buy them time to further analyze the problems with that spacecraft.
The space agency announced that it is postponing the launch of the SpaceX flight with four astronauts from August to September 24 at the earliest. Officials say that will give them extra time to analyze the thruster problems and leaks that plagued Boeing's Starliner capsule after it lifted off from Earth in June.
It is Boeing's first manned space flight.
Starliner test pilots Butch Wilmore and Sunu Williams have now been on the International Space Station for exactly two months, and were due to return to Earth in mid-June.
NASA is weighing options for returning two veteran astronauts home, including a return in a SpaceX capsule.
"NASA and Boeing continue to evaluate the readiness of the spacecraft, and no decision has yet been made regarding the return of Starliner," the US space agency said.
New details should be announced at a press conference this evening.
Only two docks on the station can accommodate American capsules with astronauts, and currently both docks are occupied, so one of them should be emptied before Space-X with the crew goes into space. Russia has its own parking spaces for Soyuz capsules at the station.
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