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NASA is delaying its next astronaut launch to buy more time at the International Space Station for Boeing\u2019s troubled new crew capsule<\/a>.<\/p>\n The space agency said Tuesday it\u2019s bumping SpaceX\u2019s four-person flight from this month to next. It\u2019s now targeted for Sept. 24 at the earliest. Officials said that will give them more time to analyze\u00a0thruster and leak problems<\/a>\u00a0that hit Boeing\u2019s Starliner capsule after its June liftoff,\u00a0its first with a crew on board<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tuesday marked the\u00a0two-month point<\/a>\u00a0at the space station for Starliner\u2019s test pilots,\u00a0Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams<\/a>, who should have been back by mid-June. NASA is weighing all its options for returning the two veteran astronauts, including a ride home in a SpaceX capsule.<\/p>\n \u201cNASA and Boeing continue to evaluate the spacecraft\u2019s readiness, and no decisions have been made regarding Starliner\u2019s return,\u201d NASA said in a statement. Further details were expected at a news conference set for Wednesday.<\/p>\n Only two docking ports at the space station can accommodate U.S. astronaut capsules and, right now, both are occupied. So one will need to be vacated before the next SpaceX crew can arrive. Russia has its own parking places for its Soyuz capsules.<\/p>\n The latest setback means the four astronauts who flew up with SpaceX in March now also face a longer mission than planned.<\/p>\n Over the past several weeks, Boeing has conducted thruster test firings on the ground as well as in space to better understand why five thrusters failed ahead of Starliner\u2019s June 6 arrival at the space station. All but one came back online. Helium leaks in the capsule\u2019s propulsion system also cropped up.<\/p>\n Citing the testing, the company late last week said: \u201cBoeing remains confident in the Starliner spacecraft and its ability to return safely with crew.\u201d<\/p>\n Boeing and SpaceX topped NASA\u2019s list for astronaut taxi service to and from the space station, after the shuttles retired in 2011. NASA signed contracts worth billions with both companies in order to have a backup in case one of them got sidelined by an accident.<\/p>\n SpaceX launched its first crew in 2020; the upcoming flight will be its 10th astronaut flight for NASA. It\u2019s also sent a few private crews into orbit.<\/p>\n Boeing has had to overcome multiple Starliner problems over the years. The company had to launch an empty Starliner twice before committing to a crew, repeating the initial flight test because of bad software and other issues. The delays have cost the company more than $1 billion.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n CEO Daily provides key context for the news leaders need to know from across the world of business. Every weekday morning, more than 125,000 readers trust CEO Daily for insights about\u2013and from inside\u2013the C-suite. Subscribe Now<\/a>.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\nRecommended Newsletter:<\/strong><\/p>\n