Two Seats Will Be Left Open For Stuck Starliner Astronauts

NASA recently announced that astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson are being booted from the upcoming SpaceX Crew-9 mission. Their seats will, eventually, be filled by the previous Starliner astronauts who are currently stuck on the Space Station.

“While we’ve changed crew before for a variety of reasons, downsizing crew for this flight was another tough decision to adjust to given that the crew has trained as a crew of four,” stated NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba. “I have the utmost confidence in all our crew, who have been excellent throughout training for the mission.”

NASA’s Nick Hague and Roscosmos’s Aleksandr Gorbunov will be the two remaining astronauts on board the SpaceX Dragon, with Hague as the commander. They are expected to launch on or after Tuesday, September 24 and return in February 2025.

Cardman and Wilson, the two dumped from the Crew-9, may be reassigned to a future mission. In the meantime, they will continue to assist their previous crewmates before launch. NASA reported that they will share reassignment details as they come.

“I am confident Nick and Alex will step into their roles with excellence,” explained Cardman. “All four of us remain dedicated to the success of this mission, and Stephanie and I look forward to flying when the time is right.”

Crew downsizing was required in light of the Boeing Starliner preparing to return home uncrewed, leaving NASA’s Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams on the Space Station. The pair could not remain on the Starliner due to safety concerns, and will instead take up the two empty SpaceX Dragon seats for the ride back.

NASA chief astronaut Joe Acaba was responsible for deciding which of the agency’s astronauts would command the flight. He eventually decided that Hague was the best option, given his extensive spaceflight experience. Hague has logged 203 days in space aboard three launches and two ISS missions since 2018.

The Crew-9 mission will be Gorbunov’s first trip to space. He will serve as the mission specialist, operating systems and overseeing safety.

FMI: www.nasa.gov