NASA Sets August Launch for Crew-9 as Boeing Evaluates Starliner Return

Crew-9 mission to proceed mid-August following Falcon 9 anomaly fix; Starliner hot fire test informs return schedule.

NASA targets August 18 for Crew-9 launch to the ISS after resolving Falcon 9 upper stage issues.
Boeing's Starliner undergoes successful hot fire test, with undocking dates available throughout August.
Crew-9 includes NASA astronauts Zena Cardman, Nick Hague, Stephanie Wilson, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Alexsandr Gorbunov.
Crew-8's return and Crew-9's arrival depend on Starliner vacating its docking port on the ISS.
First operational Starliner mission rescheduled to August 2025 to allow for further review and modifications.