Astronauts who were grounded by Boeing’s troubled Starliner program have launched to the International Space Station on a SpaceX flight, replacing two astronauts who initially flew on the malfunctioning spacecraft. The crew of four, led by NASA astronaut Zena Cardman, blasted off from Kennedy Space Center and are expected to spend at least six months in space.
Cardman expressed her excitement about the launch, calling it “transcendent” and a “ride of a lifetime.” The botched Starliner demo forced Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to switch to SpaceX to complete their original mission. NASA’s Mike Fincke, who was originally scheduled to fly on Starliner, joined Cardman as her co-pilot.
The crew includes Russia’s Oleg Platonov, former military pilot who previously flew on the Russian Soyuz flight lineup before an undisclosed health issue forced him into retirement. The launch marks a significant milestone for NASA and SpaceX, with the agency aiming to increase its space station stays from six months to eight months.
SpaceX is close to certifying its Dragon capsules for longer flights, which could extend the crew’s stay until April. NASA is also exploring smaller crews and increasing costs by launching Starliner with cargo before another crew. The agency aims to abandon the aging space station by 2030, requiring cooperation between NASA and Russia to steer it into the Pacific.
Engineering teams are working on a plan for the space station’s last days, which will require at least two years of planning to achieve. SpaceX is expected to launch the final mission for NASA in 2029, with astronauts staying on board until the end of their original six-month stay.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/spacex-nasa-astronauts-d90068c27fff2ed2438d1776e0632443