Nasa announced on Friday that it will remove two astronauts from the upcoming crew to make space for two astronauts currently stranded at the International Space Station (ISS).
Nasa astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson will be removed from the SpaceX flight but are expected to be included in future missions. The agency said that factors such as spaceflight experience were considered in making this decision.
Nasa’s Nick Hague and Russian astronaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are set to launch aboard a SpaceX rocket to the ISS in September.They will return in February with the astronauts currently stranded at the ISS, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.
Williams and Wilmore who were initially on a one-week mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner since June, have had their stay on the ISS extended due to technical problems such as helium leaks and thruster malfunctions. Their Boeing Starliner capsule is expected to return empty as early as next Friday, aiming to land in the New Mexico desert.
Nasa astronauts Zena Cardman and Stephanie Wilson will be removed from the SpaceX flight but are expected to be included in future missions. The agency said that factors such as spaceflight experience were considered in making this decision.
Nasa’s Nick Hague and Russian astronaut Aleksandr Gorbunov are set to launch aboard a SpaceX rocket to the ISS in September.They will return in February with the astronauts currently stranded at the ISS, Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore.
Williams and Wilmore who were initially on a one-week mission aboard Boeing’s Starliner since June, have had their stay on the ISS extended due to technical problems such as helium leaks and thruster malfunctions. Their Boeing Starliner capsule is expected to return empty as early as next Friday, aiming to land in the New Mexico desert.